Charlotte Cane MP Demands Immediate Heating Oil Price Cap as Winter Approaches

Charlotte Cane, MP for Ely and East Cambridgeshire, has written to the Chancellor to urge for better support for households off the mains gas grid, and a price cap on heating oil and LPG.

Charlotte’s letter comes after the Government announced that it would be adopting the recommendations of the Competition and Markets Authority following its review of the heating oil market, which concluded in July.

While these measures are aimed at improving transparency, fairness, and transparency in the heating oil market, they do not specifically target the high cost of heating oil. Many households are paying more than double the price as at the same time last year. 

Charlotte is calling on the Government to introduce an emergency price cap on heating oil ahead of the winter months, protecting households off the gas grid from future price shocks. This would be comparable to price caps already existing for gas and electricity, offering off-grid households similar protections. 

Charlotte Cane said: 

“Here in Ely and East Cambridgeshire, more than 12,500 households are disconnected from the gas grid, with most relying on heating oil to warm their homes. 

However, skyrocketing prices within the past year have caused a huge strain on people’s household finances. People paying for oil now are facing prices roughly double what they paid this time last year. 

This is not acceptable, and it’s another example of local communities unfairly paying a rural premium. 

The Government’s measures to tackle rogue suppliers are welcome, but they don’t protect rural families from crippling bills. I’ve written to the Chancellor to urge him to implement an emergency price cap on heating oil and LPG to protect rural households from any future price shocks ahead of the winter.”