Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to help support off-grid rural communities dependent on heating oil as part of a transition to a renewable energy system.

The £15 billion Warm Homes Plan includes an offer for everyone, including those living in rural areas and off the gas grid. The Warm Homes: Local Grant and Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund support eligible households to upgrade their homes, with measures including insulation, solar, batteries, and heat pumps.

All eligible households in England and Wales can also benefit from the expanded Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS), funded with £2.7 billion to 2030. This will provide more options for homes where a hydronic heat pump may not be the most appropriate solution, including air-to-air heat pumps and heat batteries.

Additionally, the Government has published a consultation on alternative heating solutions which explores the role these technologies could play in ensuring that every household has a suitable low-carbon option. The consultation closed on 10 February, and a government response will follow in due course.