'Elderly couple in 80s told me they had to find £1,000 for oil delivery' Oil prices double in rural Lancashire
People living in rural Lancashire have seen prices double for their home central heating oil since the Middle East conflict began, Ribble Valley councillors have said.
And oil uncertainty means households have to accept suppliers’ prices on the day of delivery – rather than agree on a price before.
Ribble Valley councillors highlighted the impact of soaring costs and other concerns when discussing the government’s new Crisis and Resilience Fund, which aims to help low-income households facing a ‘financial shock’.
Conservative Coun Simon Hore, the leader of Ribble Valley Council, highlighted rising oil costs at the borough’s Policy & Finance Committee, during a talk on the new government aid.
He said: “An elderly couple in their 80s told me they had to find £1,000 for an oil delivery. And suppliers are not giving quotes, so customers have to accept the price given on the day of delivery. It’s really quite difficult.”
Fellow Conservative Kevin Horkin said: “A lot of elderly people in villages across the borough are extremely worried. The cost of oil was £440 for 500 litres a month ago. Now it’s £850 or £860, depending on the price on the day. In some instances there has been a 100 per cent increase in the price.
“It’s all well-and-good for the national government to talk about a price cap in the coming months. But this problem is happening now in the Ribble Valley.
“I also rely on oil in a rural property although this new government fund won’t apply to me. But we need a help scheme which is open and understandable, so the public gets the message that there is help for those facing a crisis. In the past, we perhaps have not been very good at letting the public know. So it’s important we let them know about this new help.”
The government has allocated millions to Lancashire County Council over three years for distribution. From that, £400,000 has so far been earmarked to the Ribble Valley, including £37,000 for affordable warmth help.
Another worry for some councillors is that local knowledge needed for the effective delivery of help, which was illustrated during the covid pandemic, could be lost under a reorganisation of councils by the government in 2028.
Conservative Mark Hindle said: “During the pandemic, we were heavily involved with help through our local knowledge and ability to act where needed. I’m sure the current government understands this but, at the same time, it’s looking to abolish us. So I’m very concerned that this local knowledge will be gone in future.”
Labour’s Michael Graveston supported the new help but said Westminster governments had been reorganising councils for years. He said: “It was a previous Conservative government which reorganised Cumbria, with the loss of local councils there.”
He also suggested Ribble Valley bin crews could distribute leaflets to homes about the new help.
Independent Jim Rogerson said: “Let’s get the information out there. But I fear that older people are not aware of the council website so it’d be good to include paper flyers or adverts?”
Officers said a variety of communications will be used.