News story

Energy Minister backs buy heating oil early campaign

Energy Minister Matt Hancock is backing a campaign encouraging heating oil users to stock up early before winter sets in.

From:
Department of Energy & Climate Change
Published
10 September 2014
This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Energy Minister Matt Hancock is backing a campaign that encourages heating oil users to stock up on heating oil now. The Buy Oil Early campaign has been launched by ACRE, Citizens Advice and FPS (Federation of Petroleum Suppliers), who highlight that early orders can benefit from lower prices and prompt delivery of fuel.

Matt Hancock, Energy Minister, “The nights are drawing in and winter is just around the corner so we are encouraging people to stock up on oil sooner not later. “It’s better to order early when demand is low and prices are low and to make sure no household is caught out, especially in remote and rural areas, where roads can be disrupted and delivery times only increase as the weather gets worse.

“If you haven’t thought about it, it’s worth looking at establishing or joining a community buying group which makes oil prices cheaper for individual households.”

“Please do also be sure to check that you are receiving all the help that you are entitled to with your local Citizens’ Advice Bureau.

Notes for Editors:

  1. The Minister of State for Energy is supporting the coordinated campaign launched on 10 September. The campaign is run this year by Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE), Citizens Advice, the UK Advisory Forum on Ageing (UKAFA), and FPS (Federation of Petroleum Suppliers); and involves the ACRE Network, oil buying groups and community councils.

  2. The purpose of the campaign is to encourage consumers to stock up early on winter supplies when suppliers have spare delivery capacity to delivery quickly. In the previous prolonged severe winter weather many of the oil distribution companies had an increase in orders and backlogs in delivering oil particularly in remote and rural households where roads where disrupted by snow and ice or by flooding.

  3. More information about creating or joining a community buying group can be found on the Citizen’s Advice website.

  4. Details of oil-buying groups can be found on the ACRE website.

  5. For more information about the FPS (Federation of Petroleum Suppliers) Code of Practice and Customer Charter visit the OILSAVE website.

Updates to this page

Published 10 September 2014