Between 1 April 2026 and 31 March 2029, the government has dedicated over £50m in funding to help households struggling with soaring heating oil costs. Local councils will distribute the money through the Crisis and Resilience Fund, previously known as the Household Support Fund. You can read more about it on the government’s website.

Get in touch with your local council to find out how to access support towards the cost of heating oil.

And below you’ll find some helpful information about heating oil.

The domestic heating oil market is complex and the price of oil can be high. Many people find it hard to get a competitive price when buying domestic heating oil, but there are some things you can do…

Finding a cheaper domestic heating oil supplier

There are independent websites that allow you to track the price of heating oil and find a better price: examples of these are BoilerJuice and Fuel Tool. As in the gas and electricity market, new heating oil customers tend to get a better price than long-standing ones. So, if you’ve been with the same supplier for ages, it’s worth having a look around for a better deal.

Join a domestic heating oil-buying club

Another option is joining an oil-buying club. These are groups of households that join up to negotiate a better price through bulk purchasing. The Oil Club is a good place to start. They claim to save their members “£100’s on the cost of heating oil each year”, though we can’t verify this.

Buy domestic heating oil in bulk

If you can afford to – and have suitable and secure storage – then you can also save money by buying your heating oil in bulk during the summer months when prices are lower. Note that this will leave you with a valuable asset that may attract thieves; you may find these tips on how to protect your oil tank useful.

Alternatives to oil

Have you ever considered moving off oil altogether?

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is a government initiative aimed at increasing the take-up of non-fossil fuel heating systems. In March 2026 it was offering the following significant incentives to householders:

• £7,500 off the cost and installation of an air source heat pump.
• £7,500 off the cost and installation of a ground source heat pump.
• £5,000 off the cost and installation of a biomass boiler (only for properties in rural locations not connected to the gas grid).
• £2,500 off the cost of an air-to-air heat pump.

Or how about getting some of your water heating needs taken care of by the sun? You could get solar panels and a solar diverter to store excess energy from your solar PV panels as hot water.

You can read about these technologies here:

Alternatively, have you investigated whether you could get connected to mains gas? A modern high-efficiency gas condensing boiler is significantly cheaper to run than its oil-fired equivalent, though connecting your home to the gas network will cost you money.

To get connected, you need to contact the gas distribution network for your area. If you’re unsure who they are, you can find out here.

In the past, some network operators have offered grants to vulnerable households.

Finally, don’t forget that the best way to reduce your heating costs is to reduce the amount of fuel you use. If your oil-fired boiler is old or unreliable, then you’ll reduce your running costs significantly by replacing it with a more efficient condensing oil boiler that’ll give you more heat for less oil. And you should also ensure that your home is well insulated.