Rural families need more targeted support against rising heating oil prices

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A Butler Fuels tanker lorry is parked on a drive, delivering fuel to rural families. A worker in an orange safety vest walks on a stone path, holding a hose connected to the lorry. The background shows green fields and hedges.

Rural families living in Yorkshire need urgent targeted financial support to help mitigate the rising cost of heating oil.

The price of domestic fuel – including heating oil and liquified petroleum gas, which are essential resources for many rural families whose homes are not connected to the gas grid – have risen significantly since the beginning of the year.

Households saw the price of heating oil more than double in the immediate aftermath of the US-led strikes on Iran, which caused turmoil among the global oil market.

Now, as the government pledges further financial support to families ahead of the coming winter season, Community First Yorkshire, ACRE Network member for North, South and West Yorkshire, is joining calls for any new help to be extended to homes reliant on alternative fuel sources.

Recently, Ofgem announced the energy price cap would be increasing by four per cent from October, meaning the average family will likely pay around £60 more each year for their gas and electricity.

However, the price of a single litre of heating oil, which is not covered by Ofgem’s price cap, stood at 94p* on Wednesday 2 September 2026 – approximately 82 per cent higher than on the same day last year.

It means 1,000 litres of heating oil, which is the standard delivery offered by most suppliers, would now set the average rural family back by almost £940.

Dena Dalton, Deputy Chief Executive at Community First Yorkshire, said: “We are facing a rural cost of living crisis for energy, and it’s one that is having a very real and measurable impact on many families living in Yorkshire.

“With the approach of colder weather, there is now a pressing need for the government to make meaningful decisions and reassure rural people that they have not been forgotten.

“As a proud member of the ACRE Network, which exists to speak and act on behalf of all rural communities, we are joining the wider call for more targeted financial support to be offered to households that have no choice but to use heating oil or LPG to stay warm.

“Living off the gas grid is already a challenge – with fuel needing to be purchased in advance and in bulk, before then being physically delivered to each address – and the sustained volatility of the heating oil market since March has only added to the stress, worry and anxiety felt by all off-grid energy users.”

Action with Communities in Rural England, the national umbrella organisation for the ACRE Network, has already written to ministers with several policy proposals that, if implemented, could provide families with some limited breathing room.

One suggested action is the immediate removal of the five per cent VAT currently added to all heating oil purchases.

At current prices, the move would save the average rural family around £45 per 1,000 litre purchase.

Corinne Pluchino, Chief Executive, Action with Communities in Rural England, said: “We are grateful that our network of 37 member charities is backing our call to get more targeted support for those off the gas grid delivered in time for winter.

“We remain keen to work with the government on any initiatives that can help these rural families keep energy costs down, and hope that a positive announcement will be made very soon, and before the real cold weather sets in.”

For further information on Community First Yorkshire, visit www.communityfirstyorkshire.org.uk, and to find out more about the work of ACRE, visit www.acre.org.uk.

 

*Source: www.boilerjuice.com [correct as of 2 September 2026]