Heating Oil Prices: Rural Areas

Terry Jermy Excerpts

Wednesday 4th November 2026 Westminster Hall

[Terry Jermy (South West Norfolk) (Lab)]

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mrs Barker. I thank the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross (Jamie Stone) for securing this debate. The cost of heating oil has been very much at the forefront of the minds of my South West Norfolk constituents over the last seven months. Some 25% of homes in my constituency rely on heating oil; that is thousands of properties. The sudden increase in price left many in a desperate situation. My constituents, like the constituents of many hon. Members in this debate, are already paying a rural premium, given the additional costs linked to rurality. I was pleased that the Government responded quickly with the £53 million national support package. In Norfolk we got a larger share of that package than any other county council in the country, with more than £3 million for our county. However, I am furious that Reform-led Norfolk county council has barely lifted a finger to promote that support service. I have looked at the council’s social media and could barely find mention of the fact that the fund is available. My team and I have been working flat out to encourage people to apply. Many people in Norfolk who rely on heating oil are in the west of the county, and we are particularly affected.

[Sean Woodcock (Banbury) (Lab)]

Some 11% of my constituents in Banbury rely on heating oil. Like my hon. Friend, they welcomed the £53 million provided by the Government. In our case, Oxfordshire county council has also done very little to make people aware of that money. Does my hon. Friend agree that national and local government need to do more to make people aware of the help that is already out there for people who rely on heating oil?

[Terry Jermy]

The Oxfordshire example is a huge shame. It seems that there are many examples around the country. There is money sat waiting in council bank accounts that could be put to use to support local people.

[Torcuil Crichton]

Does my hon. Friend agree that there is a devolutionary lesson here? When money is handed out from Departments, there must be transparency and accountability from devolved Governments such as that of Scotland, from councils and from local authorities?

[Terry Jermy]

I am sure that the Minister will reflect on my hon. Friend’s point. There absolutely needs to be learning from this process. This is a desperate situation. The money needed to be spent quickly and here we are, months later, with it sat in bank accounts, not being used.

Andrew, one of my constituents, lives in Welney, a very small village in my constituency. At the time of the crisis his wife was going through breast cancer. He was completely unaware that the help was available. We managed to get him £350-worth of support. I hope that, in her response, the Minister can talk more about what the Government can do to pressure councils to get that money out the door to help my constituents and those of other hon. Members in this Chamber.

[Several hon. Members rose—]