Home heating oil help. We cannot wait for the 'detail'. Can help come retrospectively? Need oil NOW 17 September 2022 at 9:18PM edited 21 September 2022 at 4:47PM in LPG, heating oil, solid & other fuels 38 replies 3.4K views

mattyprice4004

Francis63 said:

Yes, we don't know so that's why I'm waiting. Even if it's just the removal of VAT that would be very helpful. On a full 1500Litre tank 5% VAT costs nearly 70 pounds. That's a lot of money to me.

My elec is 39 pounds per month. I have no elec shower or freezer or cooker. so it's really just lighting, kettle and microwave, phone & laptop charging for 1 person. I don't even have a tv.

But you will still get the £400 help regardless of your use. 

You’ve not replied to anyone who has pointed that out - so do you understand that you WILL get the £400 help, even if you only have mains electricity? 

MWT

Francis63 said:

My elec is 39 pounds per month. I have no elec shower or freezer or cooker. so it's really just lighting, kettle and microwave, phone & laptop charging for 1 person. I don't even have a tv.

You will still get the full benefit of the £400 paid monthly at £66/67 each month, so you will have that to help with your oil costs, just not as one lump sum.

I am sure there will be some sort of hardship fund available, but I wouldn't pin your hopes on removal of VAT or a price cap below £1.

I understand that you want to wait, your choice of course.

QrizB

Francis63 said:

Q

91p/litre plus VAT is still cheaper than mains gas. You are unlikely to get any help towards your oil cost. If you need oil now, buy it.

How can you say its cheaper than mains gas?

Because it is.

It depends of a variety of factors including the efficiency of the oil burner.

As others have explained, that has nothing to do with whether oil is cheaper than mains gas, or not.

Why do you say unlikely to get help? Liz Truss announced ther WILL be help. So it's definite.

The wording from the Government factsheet is:

If you’re not connected to the grid

Those households not on standard gas or electricity contracts, such as those living in park homes or on heat networks – and so outside the scheme – will be no worse off and will receive comparable support through a discretionary fund.

One workable way to provide "comparable support" would be to cap the oil price at the same price as mains gas, 10.3p per kWh. A cap on oil of 10.3p per kWh would mean a price of around 107p per litre (102p+VAT).

If you can buy oil for less than that today, you shouldn't expect any government help. If prices rise to more than that in future, there might be assistance but it seems unwise to wait for prices to rise before buying oil just so you'll get a subsidy. Better to pay less now.

chris_n

I think I would be buying my oil before it goes up to the new government cap!  

Mstty

Having read all of this thread it is sad that unfortunately the heating oil prices were at their highest Mar to July this year.

Now they are back under the kWh price of gas comparatively I tend to agree 

It may well be worth you lobbying your MP that whilst gas prices were known to be climbing out of control and this scheme was released in time. The height of oil prices this year has already been and gone so maybe they need to look at some monetary amount maybe from their discretionary fund.

However wait for the full details first. 

Don't forget you are still benefitting from the EPG scheme for your electricity so you are not left out completely.

Francis63

chris_n said:

I think I would be buying my oil before it goes up to the new government cap!  

There is no goverment cap for heating oil

Yellymar

Does anyone know how the £100 is to be paid via the leccy companies? How are they to know if we are using oil for heating? Will they take our word for it??

dunstonh

Yellymar said:

Does anyone know how the £100 is to be paid via the leccy companies? How are they to know if we are using oil for heating? Will they take our word for it??

No change from previous answers on this subject.