Heating oil market study

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) completed a market study into the retail supply of heating oil for domestic use in the UK.

• From: Competition and Markets Authority
• Published: 20 March 2026
• Last updated: 13 October 2026
  Show all updates

  1. 13 October 2026

     Government’s response to our recommendations published.

  2. 15 July 2026

     Final report published.

  3. 18 June 2026

     Administrative timetable updated – expected publication of final report is now July 2026

  4. 29 April 2026

     Responses to Statement of Scope published.

  5. 20 March 2026

     First published.

• Case type: Markets
• Case state: Closed
• Market sector: Utilities
• Outcome: Markets - phase 1 recommendations to government
• Opened: 20 March 2026
• Closed: 15 July 2026

Administrative timetable

Date	Action
19 March 2027	Statutory deadline
15 July 2026	Final report published
20 March 2026	Launch of market study

Government’s response to our recommendations

13 October 2026: The UK government has today accepted all our recommendations to help improve the market for consumers. Together, they’ll help ensure consumers receive fair treatment, clear information and can take action when things go wrong.

This is an important step towards better protecting the 1.5 million people who rely on heating oil to warm their homes.

We look forward to continuing to work with governments across the UK to help deliver lasting improvements for heating oil customers wherever they live.

Final report

15 July 2026: The CMA has published the final report in its market study into the retail supply of heating oil for domestic use in the UK. The report sets out our findings and recommendations for driving better outcomes for consumers who rely on home heating oil.

• Foreword and executive summary (PDF, 327KB) (15.7.26)
• Final report (PDF, 3.6MB) (15.7.26)
• Press release: UK’s heating oil households need stronger protections, says CMA  (15.7.26)

Responses to the Statement of Scope

• Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE) (PDF, 444KB) (29.4.26)
• BoilerJuice (PDF, 275KB) (29.4.26)
• Carrs Billington (PDF, 384KB) (29.4.26)
• Citizens Advice (PDF, 127KB) (29.4.26)
• Citizens Advice Scotland (PDF, 200KB) (29.4.26)
• Consumer Council (PDF, 431KB) (29.4.26)
• Consumer Scotland (PDF, 351KB) (29.4.26)
• Energy Ombudsman (PDF, 339KB) (29.4.26)
• Federation of Small Businesses (PDF, 206KB) (29.4.26)
• Fuel Bank Foundation (PDF, 357KB) (29.4.26)
• Highland Fuels (PDF, 494KB) (29.4.26)
• National Energy Action (PDF, 197KB) (29.4.26)
• Northern Ireland Assembly (PDF, 187KB) (29.4.26)
• NWF Fuels (PDF, 754KB) (29.4.26)
• Oil Market Journal (PDF, 2.3MB) (29.4.26)
• UKIFDA (PDF, 914KB) (29.4.26)

Launch of market study

20 March 2026: The CMA launched a market study into the retail supply of heating oil for domestic use in the UK.

We invite views by 8 April 2026 from all interested parties on the areas covered in the Statement of Scope.

We aim to complete the market study and publish our final report within 3 months of launch.

• Market study notice (PDF, 101KB) (20.3.26)
• Statement of Scope (PDF, 203KB) (20.3.26)
• Roadmap (PDF, 269KB) (20.3.26)

Contact

general.enquiries@cma.gov.uk

Privacy notice

The CMA may collect, use and share personal data for its market studies under the Enterprise Act 2002. This includes processing personal data for the purposes of the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018. 

For more information about how the CMA handles personal data, visit the CMA’s personal information charter.