Written by
Shaun Curtis
on 08 Aug 2023
and updated on
08 Aug 2023
Categorised in
News
Former Environment Secretary George Eustice has written in the Telegraph (not a Telegraph subscriber? The Independent have also covered this) calling for the government to drop its 2026 ban on new oil boilers in rural areas.
Eustice argues that the ban is unfair to rural communities, who often do not have access to mains gas and would be forced to switch to expensive heat pumps and compares it to the London ULEZ scheme. He also points out that renewable liquid fuels are a viable alternative to oil, and that they can be converted to run on waste cooking oil or vegetable waste.
Eustice's call has been echoed by a number of Conservative MPs, including Sir Geoffrey Cox, David Jones, and Greg Smith. These MPs argue that the ban is premature and will disproportionately affect rural communities. They also point out that heat pumps are not yet a viable option for many rural homes, and that the government needs to provide more support for renewable liquid fuels.
The government has defended its 2026 ban on new oil boilers, arguing that it is necessary to meet its net zero emissions target. However, the growing opposition to the ban suggests that the government may be forced to reconsider its position.
In a separate development, the UK heating oil industry has reported an unprecedented level of support from distributors for its campaign to overturn the ban. Over 50% of all UK distributors have sent multiple letters to MPs, and the campaign has been backed up by consumers, with over 1000 MP letters downloaded from the Future Ready Fuel website. UKIFDA, the UK and Ireland Fuel Distribution Association have released a statement, urging Government to support changes to the Energy Bill proposed my MP George Eustice.
The Future Ready Fuel campaign is calling for the government to:
The campaign is gaining momentum, and it is likely that the government will face increasing pressure to reconsider its position on the ban on new oil boilers.
