Families across Cumbria’s rural communities will benefit from a share of more than £50 million in government support to help with rising heating oil costs, under new measures announced by the government.
Over 40,000 households across Cumbria rely on heating oil to keep their homes warm, particularly in rural villages and farming communities where homes are not connected to the gas grid. With global pressures pushing up energy prices, the cost of kerosene – the fuel used in heating oil – has surged sharply in recent months.
Unlike gas and electricity customers, households who rely on heating oil are not protected by the energy price cap, meaning families can face sudden price spikes and large upfront bills to refill their tanks.
The government has confirmed over £50 million in targeted support for low-income households who rely on heating oil, with £27 million allocated to England and distributed through local authorities from 1st April via the Crisis and Resilience Fund. This is in addition to £842 million already allocated to the CRF at the last Spending Review to support struggling families with the cost of living this year.
This additional support will help families in rural areas of Cumbria who have been particularly exposed to the rising cost of heating their homes.
Whitehaven and Workington MP Josh MacAlister said:
“In many parts of Cumbria, heating oil isn’t a luxury – it’s the only option families have to heat their homes and keep the hot water running.
“When prices spike, households here feel it immediately.
“This £50 million package will help ensure that vulnerable families in rural communities across our county can stay warm and supported.”
The government says the price of kerosene has been especially affected by instability in global energy markets linked to the conflict in the Middle East and is currently around double the price of crude oil, pushing up costs for households that depend on oil deliveries.
To tackle this, the government is also moving to strengthen protections for heating oil customers, an area of the energy market that currently sits outside the main regulatory system.
Measures being explored include:
- stronger consumer protections for heating oil customers
- improved price transparency from suppliers
- new repayment options for households facing hardship
- a formal Priority Customers Register to support vulnerable households during supply disruptions
- possible regulation of the sector or appointment of a consumer champion
The government has also asked the Competition and Markets Authority to closely monitor the market and investigate reports of cancelled deliveries and sudden price increases. Over the weekend, the CMA confirmed they would be taking forward a detailed examination of the whole market at pace
Josh added that the government would not tolerate unfair practices in the heating oil market and urged consumers to report any evidence of price manipulation.
Get in touch to be the first to find out what support may be available once Cumberland Council’s Crisis and Resilience Fund opens on 1st April.
Josh MacAlister MP 