Banburyshire woman calls for cash help for households dependent on oil heating

Many living in Banbury’s hinterland have no access to gas and oil prices have soared by more than 85% since February.

Chancellor John Healey’s Budget last week offered £100 to gas users in smaller properties but nothing to those reliant on oil.

Rachel Ryan, 45, a single parent of two children in Ratley, said: “Buying heating oil in one lump sum is really tricky, especially when you’re on a low income, as it feels like playing Russian roulette.

“Families paying energy bills through direct debit can spread the cost throughout the year but we have to pay whatever the price is on the day the tank needs filling.

“Although our family has oil now, we know the next refill will be almost £800, so we’re trying to make what we have last until after Christmas.”

When Rachel filled her heating oil tank at the beginning of 2026, the cost was £408. As of October 20, the cost is £1.11 per litre (and rising) making a standard 1,000-litre delivery of oil cost well over £1,100 – without any more oil price rises.

Ms Ryan said: “Government help would really make a difference. I know Christmas will look different this year, as savings need to be made, which as a parent is hard to say.

“A £50 reduction on our heating oil bill would help me treat the children and do some nice things, even just a hot chocolate after an autumn walk, that we’ve been having to cut back on recently.”

Charity ACRE (Action with Communities in Rural England) wrote to Prime Minister Andy Burnham calling for urgent support for off-grid households in the Budget. However provision was made only for gas users.

Heating oil and LPG are not covered by the energy price cap, which applies only to electricity and gas. With no protection against further price rises, or any sign the price will drop, many rural families will be forced to do whatever they can to avoid running out.

Burnham has been asked to take three urgent actions:

• Give six-month VAT holiday for heating oil and LPG to mirror the action taken to help with the rising cost of domestic electricity bills. This would help to save around £50 on the price of a standard 1,000-litre order of oil
• End the postcode lottery of support across England by standardising the eligibility criteria used to allocate support to the most vulnerable under the Crisis and Resilience Fund supplement announced in March after the initial spike in heating oil prices
• Provide additional support to lower-income off-grid households.

The support provided through the Crisis and Resilience Fund was very limited, poorly advertised and should be extended to lower income families, as well as the most vulnerable, to help those most affected by high prices, ACRE says.

Banbury MP Sean Woodcock said: “With around 11% of homes in Banbury off grid, I have consistently called for support for households facing higher energy costs. Government funding is available through local authorities for households in need and I encourage anyone who may be eligible to seek support.”