UK Heating Oil Tops £1 a Litre, Squeezing 41,000 Devon Homes Ahead of Winter

2 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Sep 13

Heating oil has jumped from about 60p to 97p a litre in the UK—and above £1 in some areas—raising fears of a winter cost squeeze for rural households.
Iran-related tensions are driving the surge, with Devon councillor Cheryl Cottle-Hunkin warning 41,000 oil-heated homes in the county face sudden, uncapped price spikes that can add about £500 to a tank refill.
The pressure extends beyond Devon: more than 34,500 Cornwall households and about 30,000 in Guernsey rely on heating oil, where a full tank is now estimated at roughly £1,150 versus £750 last year.
Farmers are also being hit as higher fuel costs raise the price of running daily vehicles and heavy machinery, adding to wider rural cost-of-living strains.
The UK government said support includes £53 million for heating-oil users and £1 billion for local crisis funds, while local councils and consumer groups urged households to seek aid and compare prices.