Stories

Mon, 09 Mar 2026

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 Rural households feel the pinch of war in Iran

North Yorkshire residents using oil tanks to fuel their homes say bills are soaring.

* Prices for heating oil have surged due to the war in Iran, with a mother-of-three saying she "wanted to cry" when she found out her top-up price had doubled.
* The cost of 1,000 litres of heating oil has jumped from £600-£700 to £1,258.
* The UK is heavily reliant on oil and gas imports, and the war in Iran has disrupted supplies through the Strait of Hormuz.
* The UK and Ireland Fuel Distributors Association (UKIFDA) says there's been a "rapid rise" in wholesale prices due to higher-than-usual demand and increased costs for distributors.
* A village cooperative in York is helping residents save money on heating oil by making group purchases at wholesale price.
* Energy Minister Michael Shanks has asked the Competition and Markets Authority to investigate whether customers are being treated fairly over the price increase.
* The price of red diesel, used to power agricultural machinery, has also risen from 72p a litre to over £1 in some areas.