Oil heating in council properties

Some council properties in rural areas have oil heating. This means you will have to think ahead when it comes to heating your home.

Oil tends to be more expensive than gas, but not by much as it is still an efficient type of fuel. The main difference is you need to buy your fuel in one go, so you need to budget or save for that cost.

The oil is stored in a tank away from the house. Your boiler will still need to be serviced annually (and your tank and gauges checked). 

Buying

You will need to purchase the oil you will need from a supplier, in bulk by the litre, and have it delivered to your home. Generally, delivery can take up to 3 weeks.

You usually need to order a minimum of 500 litres at a time, but some suppliers offer a top-up scheme where they can top up your tank on a monthly basis for a regular payment.

Make sure a supplier is properly regulated and accredited - check they are registered with the FPS (Federation of Petrol Suppliers) and the UK and Ireland Fuel Distributors Association (UKIFDA).

Prices

The price of oil is influenced by the price of crude oil. rices fluctuate based on factors such as weather, global events, exchange rates, level of demand, or world conflict, and they are not regulated by the government. 

It’s important to shop around. Generally, the more oil you purchase at once, the cheaper it will be. Other factors that affect prices include things like last minute deliveries and the time of year (it's usually cheapest during the summer)

The best way to find the cheapest prices is to do an oil comparison. There are lots of different suppliers and they may have different prices. 

It's cheaper if you join together with your neighbours and purchase your oil together. This saves on delivery costs. This can be done by joining an online oil club - search online for an oil club, look up your area, and you can join a group of others who will all place orders at the same time as you, saving you money.

Last updated 24 September 2025