UK Heating Oil Prices Soar Amid US-Iran Conflict
Families who rely on fuel oil for heat are facing a dilemma as prices have almost doubled over the past year, following the outbreak of conflict between the US and Iran.
John Craggs, 73, from Wigtoft, near Boston, Lincolnshire, needs to fill his tank ahead of winter. 'Over the next few weeks I'll be monitoring the price to see if it goes down a little bit and then order the oil,' he says.
About 1.5 million UK households use heating oil, typically in rural areas, including more than 40% of homes in some parts of Lincolnshire. Unlike gas and electricity customers, they are not covered by the energy price cap, leaving them exposed to sudden increases.
On Wednesday, the average price was 97.05p per litre, according to boilerjuice.com, which measures the cost for purchases of 1,000 litres. That figure is up by 85% since 9 September 2025, when it stood at 52.8p.
The National Energy Action charity wants to see the price cap extended to include all forms of energy, including heating oil, and for the government to provide more help to households.