Right now the government is consulting about how homes like yours will be heated in the future. Your voice really matters but you only have a few weeks left to submit your views.
The government says that heat pumps will be the primary low carbon technology for decarbonising homes, but recognises they may not be suitable for everyone. It says in rural areas solid biomass and liquid biofuels may also play a role. For someone with an existing oil heating system, the costs to switch to these alternative technologies are stated as:
| Upfront cost (£) | Annual running cost (£) | |
|---|---|---|
| Low temperature air source heat pump | 16,900 | 1,700 |
| High temperature air source heat pump | 17,100 | 1,750 |
| Low temperature ground source heat pump | 39,400 | 1,400 |
| Biomass boiler | 26,200 | 1,750 |
You can view the full consultation here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/exploring-the-role-of-alternative-clean-heating-solutions
We have proposed using a liquid heating fuel blend which will initially contain 20% renewable fuel. It can be used in existing boilers with no upfront cost or disruption to the consumer.
This can be done using existing legislation not yet approved by the government (called the Renewable Liquid Heating Fuel Obligation) and by making a small change in tax legislation at no cost to the taxpayer. If the government agrees, this can immediately be implemented and the running costs will be similar to recent kerosene prices.
Your voice really matters. If you want the choice of switching to a renewable liquid fuel then it’s vital you respond to the government’s new consultation. You only have until the 10 February 2026. After that you will miss the opportunity to submit your response.
We’ve made it quick and easy with an automated form, so you can reply in just a few minutes.
The purpose of this consultation is to gather views from households and businesses to help them decide the policy decisions they make. This essentially means the technologies people use to heat their homes in the future. The feedback they get will determine the decisions they make. That’s why it’s so important every oil heated household responds.
For the first time, as part of this consultation, they are seeking views on the use of renewable liquid fuels. Read on to find out more and why this could be a great option for your home…
Oil heating is the most popular choice for many rural homes, but we all recognise we need to change the way we heat our homes to reduce carbon emissions.
The good news is there is a practical solution. The liquid fuel heating industry has already successfully tested a low cost, low carbon renewable liquid fuel blend that works with your existing boiler and tank. It’s ready to use now with minimal upfront and disruption.
Even though a consultation has been launched the government already has a plan: most oil heated homes are expected to switch to heat pumps while renewable liquid fuel blends are being largely ignored. It’s now up to you to change their mind.
Future Ready Fuel is led by trade associations UKIFDA and OFTEC and calls for:
We believe in fairness and choice for every home when it comes to their heating system. Click here to read more about our mission.