Headline: UK government announces £53m support package for heating oil households
- Mar 16
- 1 min read
Date: 15 March 2026 Tags: UK, Energy, Cost of Living, Policy
Summary:
The UK government announced a £53m support package for households affected by rising heating oil costs.
Support targets vulnerable, low-income households in rural communities.
About 1.5 million UK homes rely on heating oil for heating and hot water.
Heating oil prices have surged following the US-Israeli conflict with Iran.
Heating oil users are not protected by Ofgem’s energy price cap.
Funding will be distributed by local councils through the Crisis and Resilience Fund.
Northern Ireland will receive £17m, England £27m, Scotland £4.6m and Wales £3.8m.
Some households report heating oil costs doubling since the conflict began.
The government is exploring new protections for heating oil customers.
Oil prices rose sharply after disruption in the Strait of Hormuz shipping route.
What’s next: Local authorities will distribute the funding from April while the government reviews potential regulation for heating oil markets.
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