Segen has partnered with digital bank Zopa Bank to introduce residential finance for solar and energy storage systems across the UK. The Segen Finance offering enables eligible homeowners to spread installation costs over 24 to 120 months at a representative APR of 9.9%. It also gives Segen’s approved installer network a route to offer finance through the company’s Proposal Tool, without arranging consumer credit themselves. Building on Segen Finance’s commercial and industrial launch in 2025, the partnership brings a practical new purchasing option to the residential renewables market.

A New Route To Purchase

Upfront payment has long been a defining feature of many residential solar and storage purchases. Segen’s new arrangement with Zopa Bank is designed to broaden access by giving homeowners the opportunity to apply for finance as part of the quotation process, alongside an installer’s technical proposal.

Segen Finance acts as a credit broker, introducing customers who choose finance to Zopa Bank Limited, which provides the lending. Applications are made directly through a dedicated link in Segen’s Proposal Tool after an installer has created and shared a system proposal. Homeowners can review the quote independently before deciding whether to submit an application.

James Walker, Head of Solar Financing and Payments EMEA at Segen, said:

“Since the launch of our C&I finance offering, we’ve seen strong demand from our residential installer network for a finance solution that gives homeowners a more flexible way to pay. For many installers, providing consumer finance themselves isn’t practical because of regulatory requirements and the complexity of establishing a lending proposition.

The digital application journey is intended to provide a clear separation between the installer’s installation service and the lender’s credit decision. Homeowners receive a personalised quote in around two minutes with no impact to their credit score, while Zopa’s automated credit decisioning models provide a financing decision almost instantly.

Support For Installer Growth

For installation businesses, the finance option is designed to improve the route from enquiry to project completion. Once finance has been approved, installers can schedule hardware delivery without paying upfront or using their own credit facility. Segen says this can improve cash flow and increase available credit capacity, allowing installers to take on further projects.

Installers are paid in full for the completed system, less the hardware cost. The model also means households have access to equipment supplied by Segen, including solar panels, energy storage systems, mounting systems, EV chargers and heat pumps from manufacturers assessed by the distributor for quality, reliability and performance.

James Walker, Head of Solar Financing and Payments EMEA at Segen, said:

“Our partnership with Zopa Bank overcomes this barrier. Installers can now give eligible customers access to finance without taking on the additional responsibilities associated with providing consumer credit. This gives installers another tool to help turn customer interest into completed projects and ultimately grow their pipeline.”

The arrangement places the credit application within an established installer workflow rather than requiring installers to build and administer their own lending proposition. That can be particularly relevant for smaller businesses seeking to provide a more complete customer purchasing experience while concentrating on design, installation and after-sales service.

Regulated Digital Finance Journey

Eligible customers can select repayment periods from 24 to 120 months. Credit is subject to status and affordability, while terms and conditions apply. Segen Limited, trading as Segen Finance, is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority as a credit broker and not a lender. Zopa Bank Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority.

The partnership combines solar purchasing with a digital lending process intended to make a major home upgrade easier to assess and finance.

Tim Russell, General Manager of Retail Finance & Payments at Zopa Bank, said:

“Consumers increasingly expect convenient digital financing options when making major purchases. Through our partnership with Segen, we are helping homeowners to access renewable energy technologies through a simple, transparent and fully regulated digital finance journey that helps spread the cost of home upgrades,”

For homeowners, the structure provides a way to consider solar and storage without meeting the full installation cost in a single payment. For installers, it adds a finance route that can be presented alongside a system design, helping customers make a decision once they have received a detailed proposal.

Widening Residential Solar Access

Segen’s move into household finance reflects its wider role in supplying renewable technologies to the UK market. The company has more than 170 employees in the UK and over 600 globally, with specialist teams serving residential, commercial, corporate and new-build customers. It is also among distributors partnered with MCS.

The residential offer follows Segen Finance’s introduction for commercial and industrial customers in 2025, extending the platform into a segment where upfront costs can shape whether households proceed with an installation. The company sees finance as a means to reach people who recognise the value of solar and storage but may not wish, or be able, to make the initial investment.

James Walker, Head of Solar Financing and Payments EMEA at Segen, said:

“The UK residential solar and storage market has traditionally relied on homeowners paying for systems upfront. Finance changes that dynamic, enabling homeowners to access solar and storage without the need for a large upfront cash outlay. This opens up a new pool of customers for installers: households that already recognise the benefits of solar and storage but have previously been unable or unwilling to make the initial investment.

James Walker, Head of Solar Financing and Payments EMEA at Segen, added:

“Expanding Segen Finance into the residential sector, particularly alongside the opportunities likely to be created by the Warm Homes Plan, could help unlock a significant new market for installers and accelerate the adoption of solar and energy storage across the UK.”