Heating Oil, LPG and Off-Grid Homes: Buying and Getting Help

Last checked November 2026. Offers and rules change: confirm with the provider before you rely on them.

If your home is not on mains gas and you heat it with oil, LPG (bottled or tank gas), coal or wood, there is no price cap on your fuel, so the way you buy matters a great deal. Ordering early, getting several quotes, joining an oil club and looking after the tank are the main ways to keep costs and risks down.

How off-grid fuel is different

Around the UK, and especially in rural areas and across much of Northern Ireland, many homes have no mains gas. Three things set these homes apart:

No price cap. Ofgem's energy price cap covers mains gas and electricity, not heating oil or LPG. Prices move with the world oil market and can change from week to week.
You pay up front, in bulk. A delivery can cost several hundred pounds at once, usually at the very time of year when money is tightest.
You are responsible for the equipment. If you own an oil tank, its condition, and any leak from it, is your responsibility.

Buying heating oil well

Do not wait until the tank is nearly empty. Citizens Advice suggests ordering in summer or early autumn, when demand is lower, and choosing a delivery date a few weeks ahead, because urgent deliveries cost more. Keep the tank at least a quarter full: running it dry can draw sludge into the system and may mean paying an engineer to restart the boiler.
Get at least three quotes each time, by phone or online. Citizens Advice suggests using suppliers that belong to the trade association UKIFDA, which has a code of practice. Ask whether the price quoted includes VAT and delivery, and whether it is fixed until the delivery day.
Spread the cost. Many suppliers offer a monthly payment plan. In Northern Ireland, some councils and oil suppliers run saving-stamp schemes that let you put money aside a little at a time.

Oil clubs

An oil club, or buying group, is a group of neighbours who place their orders together, so that the supplier makes one trip to the village and gives a better price per litre. Many are run by volunteers, parish councils or rural community councils. Citizens Advice suggests finding one through your council, community notice boards or an online search, or starting one with neighbours if there is none. A club is especially useful if you only need a small top-up. Check how the club is run, whether there is a membership fee, and who you pay: it should normally be the oil supplier directly, not an individual.

Looking after the tank

Look at the tank every few weeks, or ask a relative or neighbour to: check for rust, cracks, bulging, damp patches underneath and a smell of oil.
Have the boiler and tank serviced once a year by a qualified technician. OFTEC is the main registration body for oil heating technicians, and you can check a technician on its register.
A sudden unexplained drop on the gauge means a leak or a theft. Ring your supplier and your insurer straight away.

Watch out: If you smell oil indoors or see it on the ground, do not ignore it. Turn off the supply at the tank if you can do so safely, and ring your oil supplier or a registered technician. Tell your insurer the same day.

LPG: tank gas and bottles

With a bulk LPG tank, the supplier usually owns the tank and you sign a contract for the gas. Citizens Advice says you are usually tied in for up to two years. When the contract ends you are free to switch, so ask your supplier for the end date and get quotes from others. A new supplier can normally take over the existing tank, and you cannot be charged for removing the old one. If you live on a park home site and buy LPG through the site owner, there are rules limiting what you can be charged: Citizens Advice can explain them.

Help with the cost

Payments you may be due. The Winter Fuel Payment and Cold Weather Payment do not depend on the fuel you use. The Warm Home Discount comes off your electricity bill, so off-grid homes can get it too.
If you cannot afford a delivery. Citizens Advice says help may be available if oil, LPG, coal or wood is your main heating and you cannot afford fuel, or soon will not be able to. Your local Citizens Advice has to apply for you, so ring it. Councils also run local welfare schemes, and some have helped specifically with heating oil.
Northern Ireland. The Executive has run support aimed at heating oil users. Check nidirect for what is open now, or ring the Housing Executive's NI Energy Advice line free on 0800 111 4455.
Changing your heating. In England and Wales the Boiler Upgrade Scheme gives a grant towards a heat pump and, at the time of writing (November 2026), GOV.UK lists an extra amount until March 2027 for homes heated by oil or LPG with no mains gas connection. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own schemes. See boiler and heating grants and insulation grants.

Common questions

Is there a regulator for heating oil prices?

No. Heating oil and LPG prices are not set by Ofgem. If you have a complaint about a supplier, raise it with the supplier first, then with its trade association, and get advice from Citizens Advice.

Can I get mains gas connected?

Sometimes, if a gas main runs nearby, but connection can be costly and the long-term direction of government policy is away from gas heating. Ask the grant schemes about low-carbon options first.

How do I keep warm if I run out before a delivery?

Keep one room warm with an electric heater, use a heated throw, and tell your supplier that you are an older person without heating, as many will prioritise you. See keeping warm for less.