Heating Oil Winter Discount

JSWM99

If the £200 oil discount is going to be paid via our electricity account how does the electricity provider know that we are a heating oil consumer. Is it simply the fact that we are not a gas consumer? How do they know that?

Thanks

Stewart

simonp

Yep that's what I'd imagine. They will simply pay it to every customer who doesn't get gas from them. Possibly not idea but probably easier and cheaper than any other method.

propertyrental

No one knows how it will be paid.

400ixl

Isn't it £100 not £200 and no one knows how they will identify off grid customers.

Given the oil price is continuing to drop and has never reached the same level as gas (in terms of like for like energy) I could see it quietly being dropped.

Spoonie_Turtle

Definitely £200 now
"The government will double to £200 the level of support for households that use alternative fuels, such as heating oil, liquified petroleum gas, coal or biomass, to heat their homes."
Under the heading "Prioritising vulnerable people" https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/autumn-statement-2022-documents/autumn-statement-2022-html#taking-responsible-decisions

Edit: or more easily found from here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/autumn-statement-2022-documents/autumn-statement-2022-html#policy-decisions

HillStreetBlues

simonp said:

Yep that's what I'd imagine. They will simply pay it to every customer who doesn't get gas from them. Possibly not idea but probably easier and cheaper than any other method.

That would mean anyone that has gas with a different supplier  would get the payment, so be suprised if they do it that way.

Slaneyvision

I've just come off the phone with Citizens Advice who are aware of the Alternative Fuel Payment (Domestic) and are under the impression that this will be dealt with by your local authority, So I called Dorset Council who were aware of the proposal but...surprise surprise they had no idea how households will be identified and how this will be administered. At todays price, 500 litres of heating oil (govt set minimum) will cost a household in the order of £420 and this is likely to increase as we move closer into the winter months. People need assistance now not in months.

dunstonh

Slaneyvision said:

I've just come off the phone with Citizens Advice who are aware of the Alternative Fuel Payment (Domestic) and are under the impression that this will be dealt with by your local authority, So I called Dorset Council who were aware of the proposal but...surprise surprise they had no idea how households will be identified and how this will be administered. At todays price, 500 litres of heating oil (govt set minimum) will cost a household in the order of £420 and this is likely to increase as we move closer into the winter months. People need assistance now not in months.

That doesnt match the current information on what will happen.

The full details have yet to be published.  However, early information indicates it will be paid via your electricity supplier as they will identify those that do not have gas.

Why do you think winter will influence the price of oil?  Currently, it is trending down and China and exchange rates are far greater influences on the price of oil.

And people get their oil at different times over the year. Sometimes multiple times of the year.  The price currently is lower than what it was last Winter when no scheme existed or dreamt of.

strawb_shortcake

Slaneyvision said:

I've just come off the phone with Citizens Advice who are aware of the Alternative Fuel Payment (Domestic) and are under the impression that this will be dealt with by your local authority, So I called Dorset Council who were aware of the proposal but...surprise surprise they had no idea how households will be identified and how this will be administered. At todays price, 500 litres of heating oil (govt set minimum) will cost a household in the order of £420 and this is likely to increase as we move closer into the winter months. People need assistance now not in months.

Boilerjuice are 15ppl down compared to just a few weeks ago. So you could reasonably expect to pay £350ish for 500l. An additional £200 off seems hard to justify to be honest. 

Apodemus

Slaneyvision said:

 At todays price, 500 litres of heating oil (govt set minimum) ...

I'd be interested if you could point me in the direction of the "gov't set minimum". 

As far as I can find, the Government regulates the metering equipment used by the tanker rather than the delivery itself.  For reasons of the range of accuracy that a mechanical meter can achieve, the minimum that the meter is certified to deliver is set at 500L.  The supplier is free to install more accurate electronic metering equipment (and have this certified) or to deliver pre-packaged fuel in any size (as long as it is correctly labelled).  Of course it's not economic for the heating oil companies to bring a large truck to your door for a very small load, so there is no incentive for the industry to install the necessary equipment, but as far as I can find, this is down to economics, not Government dictat.   Happy to be corrected! 

mmmmikey

Easy enough to buy heating oil in small quantities around here (delivered in 25 litre containers) and the driver then pumps them into your tank using a small portable transfer pump) but needless to say you pay more per litre. Which is fair enough really I guess.