Feed-in Tariff vs SEG — what FIT solar owners should do in June 2026
Hundreds of thousands of pre-2019 solar homes are still on the Feed-in Tariff. Your FIT generation payment is index-linked and always continues. The decision is only the export half — FIT deemed export (an assumed 50% of generation) vs a metered SEG tariff at 24–25p/kWh, verified June 2026. You cannot receive both at once.
- Generation payments are safe — switching export never touches them.
- Deemed vs metered — FIT pays on 50% of generation whether you export or not; SEG pays per kWh actually exported.
- It cuts both ways — high exporters win big at 25p metered; heavy self-consumers can be better off staying deemed.
Generation is fixed — export is a choice
The Feed-in Tariff closed to new applicants on 31 March 2019; existing contracts run 20–25 years in two parts. The index-linked generation payment always continues. The export payment is the only part you can swap: most FIT homes are on "deemed" export, paid on an assumed 50% of generation. Opt out of deemed and you can take any metered SEG tariff instead — but you cannot be paid FIT deemed export and SEG export at the same time.
Out all day with no battery, you likely export well over half your generation — metered 25p/kWh wins. Home all day with a battery, staying deemed pays you for exports you never make. Our June 2026 SEG rate comparison covers all ~30 live tariffs, 1p to 32.17p/kWh.
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SEG export options for ex-FIT exporters — June 2026
The metered SEG rates most relevant to ex-FIT exporters, alongside deemed. SEG pays on half-hourly export readings — smart meter required.
| Option | Rate | How it pays & eligibility |
|---|---|---|
| FIT deemed export (stay put) | Varies by contract | Paid on 50% of generation regardless of actual export, no export meter needed — existing FIT recipients only |
| Good Energy Solar Savings Exclusive | 25p/kWh flat | Every kWh actually exported, metered — Good Energy import customer |
| EDF Export Exclusive 12m V2 | 24p/kWh, 12-month fixed | Every kWh actually exported, metered — EDF import customer, system ≤5kW |
| Octopus Flux | Up to 29.32p/kWh peak | Time-of-use, top rate in the early-evening window — solar + battery, Octopus import |
| E.ON Next Export Exclusive | 16.5p/kWh flat | Every kWh actually exported, metered — E.ON Next import customer |
All rates verified June 2026; rates change — check live terms before opting out of deemed export. Without a battery, time-of-use blended rates often land below a flat 25p deal.
Deemed export vs metered SEG
FIT deemed export pre-dates smart meters: instead of measuring export, the scheme assumes you export 50% of generation and pays your contract rate on that figure. That assumption is the whole game: export over 50% and deemed short-changes you; self-consume most of it and deemed pays you for electricity that never left the house.
A metered SEG tariff flips the model: a smart meter records actual half-hourly export and you're paid per real kWh — up to 25p/kWh flat, verified June 2026. Battery owners can earn up to 29.32p/kWh time-of-use on Octopus Flux — see our solar panel and battery tariff guide.
The one-line rule
Switching beats staying when: your actual annual export × the SEG rate > your deemed kWh (50% of generation) × your FIT export rate. Your FIT statement has the deemed side; smart-meter data gives actual export. Do this sum first — never opt out of deemed on guesswork.
Worked example — two different answers
Both 4kW households generate ~4,800 kWh a year, so both are deemed to export 2,400 kWh under FIT. Real export decides the winner. (FIT export rates vary by contract — check yours; SEG side uses 25p/kWh, verified June 2026.)
| Household | Real annual export | Metered SEG at 25p | FIT deemed export — and the verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| A — out all day, no battery | ~3,400 kWh (≈70% of generation) | ~£850/yr | Contract rate × only 2,400 kWh; 1,000 kWh of real export unpaid — switch to SEG |
| B — home all day, battery | ~800 kWh (≈17% of generation) | ~£200/yr | Contract rate × 2,400 kWh; paid on three times their actual export — likely stay deemed |
Estimated figures — rates change; your own rates and export pattern will differ.
Should you switch your export to SEG?
Switching likely wins if…
Out most weekdays, no battery, exporting well over half your generation, happy to have a smart meter. At 24–25p/kWh metered, every real kWh counts.
Staying deemed likely wins if…
Someone's home all day, or a battery, EV or diverter soaks up the surplus — real export may sit far below the deemed 50%, so you're paid for exports you never make.
Either way, never give up…
Your FIT generation payment — index-linked, runs the full term, unaffected by an export switch. Moving to SEG never means losing your FIT — only deemed export is swapped.
How to switch export to SEG and keep FIT generation
- Do the maths first. Pull your FIT statement and estimate real annual export. If deemed wins the one-line rule, stop and keep the lot.
- Get a smart meter if needed. SEG requires a SMETS2 (or DCC-migrated SMETS1).
- Pick your SEG tariff. The top payers bundle import — Good Energy 25p and EDF 24p require their import supply too — so compare the whole package.
- Tell your FIT licensee you're opting out of deemed export. Generation payments carry on; only deemed export stops. Confirm the date in writing — the two cannot be paid simultaneously.
- Apply to the SEG supplier. MCS certificate number, panel kW, battery capacity, MPAN, opening export reading — registration takes 5–10 working days.
- Diary a rate check. SEG rates aren't price-cap regulated and move often; old SEG contracts need 14 days' written notice to leave.
Want the numbers run for you? Get a free EnergyPlus quote — we'll compare your import deal and export options together.
Feed-in Tariff vs SEG — FAQs
Will I lose my FIT payments if I switch to SEG?
Generation payments: no — they continue for your full contract term regardless. Deemed export: yes — that's exactly the swap. Metered SEG pays for actual exports instead; the two export payments cannot run at the same time.
Can I go back to deemed export later?
Check with your FIT licensee and get the answer in writing before opting out — treat the move as one-way, and base your sums on a full year's export data.
Do I need a smart meter for SEG?
Yes. SEG pays on actual half-hourly export readings, so you need a SMETS2 smart meter or a DCC-migrated SMETS1 — the key difference from deemed export, which needed none.
Is the Feed-in Tariff coming back?
No. FIT closed to new applicants on 31 March 2019; the SEG, launched January 2020, replaced it for new installs. Existing contracts run their course — details on ofgem.gov.uk.
Best SEG rate for an ex-FIT exporter?
Without a battery: Good Energy 25p/kWh flat or EDF 24p/kWh 12-month fix (≤5kW), verified June 2026 — both require that supplier's import tariff. With a battery: Octopus Flux, up to 29.32p/kWh at peak.
I have a battery — does that change the answer?
It cuts both ways. A battery slashes real export, strengthening the case for staying deemed — but it also unlocks time-of-use exporting (Octopus Flux, up to 29.32p/kWh) that can out-earn deemed. Run both scenarios.
The cap rises 1 July — make your export earn its keep
The Ofgem price cap rises 1 July 2026 to £1,862/yr typical — up 13% (£221). If you're a high exporter still paid on a deemed 50%, a 24–25p/kWh metered SEG rate could meaningfully offset the rise — FIT generation payment untouched. Estimated savings only; rates change.
Compare your FIT export vs today's SEG rates
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