The government should provide more support for families whose heating oil bills are rising because of conflict in the Middle East, a south Cumbrian MP has said.
Tim Farron, Liberal Democrat Party MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale, tabled an Early Day Motion (EDM) in the House of Commons calling for a government intervention.
Heating oil is often used by off-grid households to heat their homes.
And 35 per cent of households in the constituency of Westmorland and Lonsdale are off the gas grid, according to the House of Commons Library.
Additionally, households that are off the gas grid are excluded from Ofgem’s energy price cap.
This leaves families at the mercy of the current volatile energy markets due to the ongoing Middle Eastern conflict.
Mr Farron said: “Families in Cumbria who rely on heating oil are being left to bear the brunt of shocks to the global market in their bills.
“The Government must provide immediate relief for households who are grappling with rocketing oil and gas prices caused by the conflict in the Middle East.
“We need an immediate three-month zero-rating for VAT on heating oil for all residential homes to protect rural households from global price shocks.”
Mr Farron’s EDM also called on the government ‘to reduce long-term energy costs’ by helping to upgrade homes with ‘free insulation for low-income households and ensuring that all new homes are built to zero-carbon standards.’
The motion has been signed by 35 members of parliament, at the time of writing, and has not had any amendments submitted.
Heating oil has nearly doubled since the war in Iran began, according to the BBC.
Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor, and Ed Milliband, the Energy Secretary, have both met with the Competition and Markets Authority to discuss heating oil rises.
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