Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether she has considered the potential merits of a vulnerable-customer scheme for heating-oil users to identify and protect people with significant disability or medical vulnerability before an emergency occurs.

The Government is keeping a range of options for targeted energy cost support under review as part of its contingency planning, including for households in vulnerable circumstances who rely on heating oil as their primary source of heat.

The Government has provided £27 million of targeted support for low-income households in England who heat their homes with oil, through the Crisis and Resilience Fund and delivered via local authorities. Vulnerable households facing immediate financial difficulty should contact their local authority to see what support may be available.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) also found clear gaps in protections for heating oil users, including support for vulnerable consumers. The Government is considering the CMA’s recommendations carefully and will continue to engage with industry, consumer bodies and devolved administrations to ensure heating oil customers are treated fairly.

The Government published its formal response to the CMA heating oil report on 13^th October’ and add the relevant links 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.