Zopa, the British digital bank pioneer with 2 million customers, has partnered with eco-tech company Hive to help millions of UK homeowners spread the upfront cost of their greener home upgrades.
The partnership brings a new financing option for up to 20 million UK homes². Customers can now apply for a personal loan from Zopa directly through the Hive website to finance Hive eco-tech such as solar and battery installations.
Demand for solar is accelerating as households look for more control over their energy supply and greater protection from volatile energy prices. UK Government data shows 269,000 solar installations were completed in 2025, the highest ever recorded in a calendar year and 37% higher than the year before3. This trend has continued in 2026 with 9 of the 10 strongest months on record for solar deployment having occurred within the last 12 months4.
By enabling financing through Zopa, eligible Hive customers now have the option to spread the cost of installing eco-tech across up to seven years, giving them greater flexibility and confidence when upgrading their homes.
Customers can get a personalised loan quote in 3 minutes with no impact to their credit score, with most customers accessing their money in under 2 hours once their loan has been approved. The loans range from £1,000 to £50,000, with a representative APR of 8.9%. Final rates are personalised to each customer’s individual circumstances5.
"Solar is becoming an increasingly attractive option for homeowners looking to lower their energy bills and take greater control of their energy use. Our partnership with Zopa helps remove that hurdle by giving eligible customers the option to spread the cost of a solar installation.”
Susan Wells, Director of EV & Solar at Hive
Zopa will provide the regulated lending product and manage the finance journey, including quote, application, credit assessment, loan disbursal and servicing.
Tim Waterman, Chief Commercial Officer at Zopa Bank, said: “Helping households transition to cleaner, more energy-efficient homes is increasingly important amid volatile energy prices and rising household bills.Yet, for many people, the upfront cost of installing solar panels, battery storage or heat pumps remains the biggest obstacle to making this change and getting the advantage of monthly savings.
“By bringing together Zopa’s best-in-class digital lending experience and customer-centricity with Hive’s expertise in smart home and green energy solutions, we’re removing that barrier. Together, we’re making it easier for millions of homeowners to invest in a greener future through a simple, transparent and fully regulated digital finance journey that helps spread the cost of home upgrades.”
Susan Wells, Director of EV & Solar at Hive, said: “Solar is becoming an increasingly attractive option for homeowners looking to lower their energy bills and take greater control of their energy use. But for many, the upfront cost remains one of the biggest barriers.
"Our partnership with Zopa helps remove that hurdle by giving eligible customers the option to spread the cost of a solar installation. It's another way we're making greener home technology more accessible, helping more households enjoy the benefits of generating their own energy and taking greater control over how they power their homes.”
Michael Shanks, Energy Minister said: “Loans for these upgrades give more people access to affordable, clean energy technology and create warm, comfortable homes that are cheaper to run.
“Millions of families will soon be able to benefit from no and low-cost loans on solar panels, heat pumps and batteries through our Warm Homes Plan, helping to bring down energy bills for good.”
Hive has more than 2.5 million customers; it helps households take more control of their energy use through smart heating, solar, EV charging, heat pumps and other eco-tech products. Its Hive Thermostat customers can save an average of £158.40 a year, while customers with solar panels can save up to 83%¹ on their electricity bills.
The new partnership also marks the launch of Zopa for Business, Zopa’s bolstered business offering that brings payments, retail finance, auto finance and embedded partnerships into a single platform.
Designed to help businesses accept payments, offer finance and complete more sales by integrating once without juggling multiple providers, it follows Zopa’s acquisition of payments platform Rvvup in 2025 and point-of-sale finance platform DivideBuy in 2023.
One of the UK’s highest rated and most celebrated financial brands, Zopa has been recognised with over 10 British Bank Awards, holds a Trustpilot rating of 4.6/5, and has one of the highest customer satisfaction scores in the industry.
Notes to Editors
1) Hive customers can save up to 83% on your electricity bills, with Hive Solar & battery substantiation:
By generating your own solar electricity, you’ll spend less on buying electricity from the grid
Sign up to a Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) tariff to help turn sunlight into savings
Our savings and models explained
Savings assume a 4.0 kW solar photovoltaic system installed on a south facing roof of a medium domestic electrical demand (2,500 kWh) property in Milton Keynes with a typical 5 kWh battery. Residual solar energy production is assumed to be used locally when daytime with excess sold back to the grid at 12.0 pence per kWh for British Gas electricity customers on the SEG tariff. The consumption import cost reduction of £466.75 combined with the exported energy sold back to the grid at £247.36 results in the reduction of 82.9%, or £714.11 off the Ofgem medium electricity bill of £861.49.
Savings exclude costs related to Zopa personal loans.
Source: https://www.hivehome.com/solar/solar-panels#terms
2) The UK had approximately 19.7 million owner-occupied dwellings in 2024. Source: Office for National Statistics, “Dwelling stock by tenure, UK: 2024”, published 10 June 2026.
3) Britain continues to break clean power records - GOV.UK
4) Britain continues to break clean power records - GOV.UK
5) Rates will depend on an individual’s circumstances. Credit subject to status and affordability. T&Cs apply. Missed or late repayments may affect an individual’s credit rating and access to credit in the future.
About Zopa Bank
Founded in 2020 with a full banking licence and backed by some of Silicon Valley’s most iconic investors, digital bank Zopa is building the "Home of Money".
This is a place where financial products deliver good value and managing money is made effortless; deep and long-lasting relationships mean customers are left confident about their choices.
One of the UK’s highest rated and most celebrated financial brands, Zopa has been recognised with over 10 British Bank Awards, holds a Trustpilot rating of 4.6/5, and has one of the highest customer satisfaction scores in the industry.
Zopa Bank Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.
About Hive
Hive is the eco-tech company empowering customers to take control of their home energy. Part of the Centrica family, we’ve helped millions of households start their smart energy journey. Now we’re partnering with pioneering manufacturers to make technologies like smart heating, solar panels and heat pumps easy and accessible – so more people can use less energy, save money and live more sustainably.
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