Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps she is taking to support people with the cost of heating oil.

The Government recognises the pressures facing households that rely on heating oil. We have provided an additional £53 million of targeted support for vulnerable households, largely in rural communities, including £27 million through the Crisis and Resilience Fund for English local authorities in areas with higher reliance on oil heating. Funding is also available to the Northern Ireland Executive, Wales and Scotland. We continue to monitor heating-oil supply chains and engage frequently with industry to help ensure supply and pricing remain resilient.

In addition, the Government published its formal response to the CMA heating oil report on 13 October, and plans to strengthen regulations in the market for the first time, making sure households who use heating oil are treated fairly.

This will include developing options for a proportionate regulatory regime for the heating oil market, which will take time to get right, to ensure the best outcomes for consumers. In the meantime, we will work with industry to strengthen consumer protection measures in existing Codes of Conduct, which set rules for the sector.

This is a clear indication of the Government’s commitment to create a fairer, more resilient and trusted heating oil market, which delivers stronger consumer protections while preserving competition and security of supply.

A Written Ministerial Statement can be found here: Written statements - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament

The full response can be found here: Government response to the CMA heating oil market study - GOV.UK