The Countryside Alliance welcomes the Prime Minister’s announcement of a £53 million heating oil support package, but urges the government to provide further detail for rural households struggling with soaring fuel costs.
Millions of rural people are off the mains gas grid and rely on heating oil to keep their homes warm. Since the start of the conflict in the Middle East, prices have doubled in some areas, placing immediate financial pressure on households already facing higher living costs. Around 1.5 million households are reliant on heating oil, and are therefore not protected by the energy price cap - the impact on rural communities is severe.
Tim Bonner, Chief Executive of the Countryside Alliance, said:
“£53 million in support is welcome, but Ministers will need to ensure that help arrives quickly for the households that need it most. Rural poverty often goes unseen, but it is driven by exactly this sort of inequality.
“The commitment to take legal action against suppliers who cancelled orders and hiked prices is significant, and the fuel duty freeze until September is vital for rural households, where driving is essential for work, healthcare, and daily life.”
The news comes at a time when police forces across the country have warned rural households about oil theft. A spate of thefts have recently been reported, with country homes being targeted by oil thieves who are exploiting the surge in energy prices by selling stolen fuel on the black market.
The Countryside Alliance has re-issued its oil theft prevention guide for rural households, which can be found here.
The Countryside Alliance is also concerned that support schemes should not overlook other off-grid households. Around 200,000 rural homes rely on LPG, yet these households have not been mentioned in today’s announcement. Like heating oil users, they face volatile prices and limited access to affordable fuel.
The Countryside Alliance has been raising these concerns directly with government, highlighting the disproportionate impact of energy price increases on rural communities. The Alliance urges Ministers to move swiftly to ensure that support reaches all vulnerable off-grid households and that market abuses by suppliers are fully investigated.