On Friday, 13 March, Mayor Kim McGuinness wrote to Government calling on ministers to step in and protect people in our region who rely on offgrid fuels like heating oil and LPG.
Today, the Prime Minister announced a £53m support package.
North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said: “Today we saw the first step in helping families with rising bills. We must now start preparing for the next stage.
"Rural households in Northumberland and Durham have been facing sudden increases and unlike mains gas and electricity, these households have never had the protection of an energy price cap, leaving them exposed when global prices spike.
“The Government’s new commitment - more than £50 million of targeted support for people who heat their homes with oil - will bring some much-needed relief. It’s right that ministers have finally recognised that off-grid homes have been left out in the cold until now.
“But this cannot be a one-off fix. Here in the North East almost one in three homes in rural Northumberland and County Durham rely on oil or LPG. Our families deserve the same security as everyone else, and that means regulation of the heating oil market with fair safeguards and transparency, so they are not at the mercy of sudden global shocks.”
“That’s why I also continue to urge the Government to devolve retrofit funding to our region. With the right powers and investment, we can upgrade cold, damp homes faster, help people switch to cleaner, cheaper heating, and make sure this crisis doesn’t keep repeating itself.
“My message to ministers is simple: today’s support is welcome but don’t stop here. With the war still driving instability, the Government must now start preparing for a much bigger package if this crisis continues into next winter. Let’s not wait around for families to be hit again before stepping in. Let’s fix the system, protect rural households properly, and give our region the tools to deliver the long-term change people deserve.”