A 59% price rise in a year is hitting oil-heated homes hard, and a new £100 support scheme in Northern Ireland drew more than 50,000 applications in its first day.
By MyOil Newsroom ·
Summary
Home heating oil prices have climbed sharply over the past year, with RTÉ reporting a 59% rise since last September, leaving many households facing a significantly more expensive winter. A £100 home heating oil support scheme has opened in Northern Ireland, and the response was overwhelming, with the Irish News reporting more than 50,000 applications within 24 hours of launch. If you heat your home with oil, now is a good time to review your usage, check your tank level, and consider setting a price alert so you can order when costs dip.
The figures make for uncomfortable reading as the heating season approaches. RTÉ reports that home heating oil has risen 59% in cost compared to the same point last year, a substantial jump that will be felt sharply by the hundreds of thousands of households across Ireland and the UK that rely on oil to heat their homes.
The BBC has also flagged the mood among consumers, describing rising oil prices as a "huge worry" as winter looms. For families already managing higher costs across most household bills, a more expensive fill this autumn adds real pressure to household budgets.
In response to the affordability pressure, a £100 home heating oil support scheme opened in Northern Ireland in early September. The BBC reported on the scheme's launch, noting it was aimed at helping households cope with fuel costs.
The response was striking. According to the Irish News, more than 50,000 applications came in within the first 24 hours of the scheme going live, reflecting just how many households are feeling the strain. If you are in Northern Ireland and have not yet checked your eligibility, it is worth looking into as soon as possible given the level of demand.
For anyone heating with oil, a 59% annual price increase means a typical fill that cost, say, 700 euro or £600 last autumn could look very different on this year's invoice. It is worth being aware of a few practical things.
First, ordering earlier in the season, before peak winter demand adds further pressure on both prices and delivery slots, has historically helped some households manage costs. Second, keeping an eye on price movements in your area means you can act when a better rate appears rather than ordering in a rush when your tank is nearly empty.
You can check roughly when your tank might run out based on your usage, giving you more time to plan rather than ordering under pressure. If you want to avoid missing a price dip, setting a price-drop alert means you will hear about it without having to watch the market yourself.
With costs this elevated and demand for support already high, the best position to be in this winter is an informed one, knowing your tank level, knowing the local price, and not leaving your next order to chance.
Sources
We write our own take and link the original reporting. Figures are as reported by the sources above.
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Tell us your county and we'll watch the price by the fill, not the cent. Add your tank and we'll tell you when you'll run out, and nudge you in good time to order.