With nearly half of homes in Teesdale and Weardale “off-grid”, local MP Sam Rushworth has slammed heating oil suppliers for profiteering from the crisis in the Middle East and assured affected residents that he is actively raising concerns about price hikes, both in the House of Commons chamber and in private meetings with ministers.
The cost of heating oil has nearly doubled since the start of the conflict in the Middle East with reports of pre-agreed orders being cancelled, forcing customers to pay higher prices – a situation which Sam has argued is largely being driven by market fear and opportunism rather than actual shortages at this stage, since the UK still has sufficient energy reserves.
However, he warned that if the situation persists beyond three months, there will be genuine shortages and real pressure on all energy prices – a position which, he says, vindicates Labour’s position not to support the initial USA and Israeli strikes on Iran, which was criticised by the Conservatives and Reform.
He said, “Our first priority is to deescalate the conflict. The USA’s and Israels’ attacks on Iran had no legal basis, no exit plan, and no thought for how it would impact the global economy. People like Nigel Farage and Kemi Bandenoch who argue we should have tied ourselves to Donald Trump need to explain to my constituents why they are content to inflict this on them just as we were turning the corner on a 15-year-long cost-of-living crisis.
Sam is focusing on three key areas to protect households using heating oil and other off-grid fuels:
1. Direct Financial Support
Sam is advocating for fixed payments to households reliant on off-grid fuels, but particularly lower-income families who do not benefit from existing schemes like the £150 Warm Home Discount available to electricity and gas customers. He has raised this issue with the Chancellor, Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, Chief Secretary to the Treasury James Murray, and Michael Shanks, Minister for Energy, as part of ongoing discussions. While the government has expressed caution about early commitments if the price spike proves temporary, there is continued willingness to engage further on this.
2. Market Intervention
Sam is calling for scrutiny of suppliers (heating oil and petrol/diesel) and is pleased that following requests from MPs the Competition and Markets Authority has put companies on notice that they are investigating “blatantly profiteering”. Sam is urging residents to report to him any examples of unfair or potentially unlawful practices. He is also advocating for measures to support local buying co-operatives and storage systems to mitigate price volatility and instalment payment options to support customers who cannot buy a full tank upfront.
3. Long-Term Energy Transition
Sam stresses that over half of post-war recessions have been linked to sudden spikes in global oil and gas prices. To protect consumers long-term, reducing reliance on oil through better home insulation and transitioning to alternative energy sources is crucial. He highlighted the government’s £15 billion Warm Homes Plan, which provides full grants for insulation, solar panels, and heat pumps; and he is working to ensure eligibility criteria support rural communities like Teesdale and Weardale and that people are aware of and able to access this funding.
Engagement and Ongoing Work
As a member of the Labour Rural Research Group, Sam shared a survey with residents on domestic heating oil and LPG costs to capture the experiences of rural households, which will be provided to Government w/c 15th March 2026. Sam continues to keep constituents informed of developments and government measures.
As your Member of Parliament, Sam remains committed to pressing ministers on these issues and providing updates. Residents can contact Sam directly at sam[.]rushworth[.]mp[@]parliament[.]uk or via his website at www.samrushworth.co.uk.
South West Durham News covering news across County Durham.
