Over 70% of the average household's energy-use goes into providing space and water heating, so a free source of hot water instead of using commercial energy can make a dramatic financial saving. When choosing an installer look no further than Koolspace, certified installer, holding GAS SAFE REGISTER (corgi), BPEC and C&G accreditation's.
Solar Hot Water uses the radiation from the sun to heat water in a panels often sited on the roof which in turn can supply that heat as hot water or to a central/under-floor heating system. Unfortunately the demands on your central heating systems are at their highest when the sun is at its weakest so a solar heating system will only contribute to part of your heating energy requirements, this said it still makes a useable contribution even in the winter. During the summer this system can even heat swimming pools saving a fortune in energy costs. If the system has been sized correctly, it can provide upwards of 50% of all your hot water requirements throughout the year. Solar panels should be sited on a south-facing pitched roof, free from shade, at an angle of between 20 and 50 degrees, or may be mounted on an angled frame on the ground or on a flat roof. Different systems have there advantages and disadvantages in terms of price, efficiency and aesthetics. In general, evacuated tube collectors are more efficient and more expensive.

In recent years many domestic boilers have been changed over, to the more efficient condensing combination boilers but these are often unsuitable for receiving feeds from solar panels so an additional cylinder or boiler replacement may be required. Koolspace will be able to advise you if your combination boiler is suitable for use with solar.
The government's Low Carbon Buildings Programme may provide you with a grant for a new domestic solar heating system but before awarding a grant, as a householder, you must demonstrate that you are not wasting energy elsewhere in your home and have already taken measures such as installing loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, low energy light bulbs and room thermostat/timer controls for your central heating etc, these are the first steps to save money and lessen the impact on the environment.