Cuts announced to the solar energy feed-in tariff could put up to 27,000 jobs at risk across the UK, according to the Solar Trade Association (STA).

The jobs, out of a total of 35,000, are at risk due to the proposed 87% cut to the domestic feed-in tariff for solar energy.

The South East is set to be the worst affected, with over 4,000 solar jobs at risk.

The North West is also heavily affected, with 3,500 of its 4,300 solar jobs threatened by the cuts.

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Paul Barwell, CEO of the STA, said: "Within this new set of proposals, the Government has used sunlight levels you might find in Devon, rather than those found in Yorkshire as they have done in the past. Here at the Solar Trade Association however we believe more than just one corner of the country should be able to get the benefits of going solar."

"The government's short-term thinking on bills is condemning hardworking families to a future of higher energy costs."

The Department of Energy and Climate Change proposed at the end of August to cut the tariff paid for electricity generated by solar rooftop panels from 12.4p to 1.6p as of January 2016.

(LM/CD)