Families in North Northamptonshire who rely on heating oil are being offered emergency £150 vouchers to help cope with soaring costs. The grants, provided by North Northamptonshire Council, target low-income and vulnerable households that are not connected to mains gas and risk running out of fuel.
The price of heating oil spiked dramatically after the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, with some residents seeing their bills double or orders canceled. Unlike gas and electricity customers, heating oil users are not protected by the price cap set by regulator Ofgem.
Councillor Greg Wilcox, Reform UK executive member for communities, said: "We know this is hitting people in our rural communities hard and families who rely on heating oil don't have the same protections as those on mains gas."
To qualify, applicants must have an oil tank level at 30% or less and be unable to afford the minimum cost of a delivery. Successful applicants receive a prepaid card through the Huggg voucher platform. The council stressed the fund is for emergencies only, not for routine purchases.
"The fund is not intended for everyday or planned oil purchases. It is for emergency situations where low oil levels and the cost of a delivery would put health, safety or basic living conditions at risk," the council stated.