Heating oil costs 'worrying' for rural residents
Rachel DouglasA charity is warning a rise in the price of heating oil amid the conflict in the Middle East will hit those "already struggling" in rural communities.
Approximately 30% of homes in Cumbria and Northumberland do not have mains gas and rely on heating fuels such as oil or LPG.
Most people buy in bulk rather than pay monthly and some comparison sites show heating oil prices have doubled in a week.
Christine Nicholls, from Community Action Northumberland (CAN), said: "When prices jump from around 60p to £1 a litre it can add hundreds of pounds to the cost of a single purchase."
"The rise in costs is going to be incredibly difficult for households already struggling with fuel poverty."
Heating oil sits outside the regulatory framework that covers gas and electricity, which means consumers can see prices suddenly rise.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has been approached for comment.
Rachel Douglas lives in Seahouses, Northumberland, one of an estimated 4.5 million households across Great Britain not connected to the gas grid.
"My tank's nearly empty but I've switched off the heating because I'm not paying extortionate prices for something that is happening elsewhere in the world beyond my control," she said.
"Luckily we have a large log burner to warm the house but I feel sorry for older people who don't have that choice."
Simon Walker, who lives near Nenthead, in Cumbria, uses about 2,500 litres of heating oil a year.
"I fill my tank up in September every year," he said. "Last year, I paid about £1,250, if I was filling it up today that would cost me in the region of £1,800."
Simon Bainbridge, the North East representative for the Country Land and Business Association (CLA), said: "I lot of my neighbours are ringing me up and saying, 'Have you seen the price of heating oil?'"
"It's still really cold, this is really worrying for people in rural areas who often live in poorly insulated houses.
"But given a lot of the oil would have been bought before this crisis, I do wonder if there's a bit of profiteering going on?"
The UK and Ireland Fuel Distributors Association Ltd (UKIFDA) said the main market driver of heating oil was the wholesale price of jet fuel.
"At least 40% of Europe's jet fuel came from the Middle East in 2025 via the Strait of Hormuz, which is currently blocked and the wholesale price has more than doubled," it said.
"Most distributors hold no more than two days of supply and collect fuel from refineries or terminals at the market price almost daily."