News of the Scottish Government’s announcement of £10 million in support for households affected by the sharp rise in heating fuel costs is a step in the right direction, according to local constituency MSP Finlay Carson.
But he fears that the decision revealed this week remains just a drop in the ocean – and it is clear much more still needs to be done.
The Galloway and West Dumfries MSP said: “Right across our region, many households – particularly in rural and remote communities – are entirely off the mains gas grid.
“They have no alternative but to rely on heating oil, LPG, or solid fuels, all of which have seen dramatic price increases.
“For these constituents, the cost-of-living crisis is hitting even harder simply because of where they live.”
The Scottish Conservative and Unionist MSP revealed that, crucially, the fuel crisis is not only an issue for those in receipt of benefits.
He added: “Many older people, pensioners, and working families who do not qualify for means‑tested support are nevertheless struggling enormously with the soaring cost of heating their homes.
“They should not be excluded from assistance simply because they fall just above an eligibility threshold.”
Mr Carson insisted that, if support is to be fair, it must reach all off-grid households facing exceptional cost pressures, not only a limited category of them.
He warned that the problem goes much deeper.
The MSP warned: “The heating‑oil market is entirely unregulated, no price cap, no consumer protections, no safeguards.
“Rural households are exposed to wild price swings with absolutely no protection, unlike mains gas and electricity customers. This is a systemic failure that has been ignored for far too long.
“That is why I am pressing the Government not only to ensure this funding is properly targeted, but to confront the underlying issue head‑on.
“We need a full, urgent review of the heating‑oil market, including real options for regulation or stabilising mechanisms that finally put rural households on a fair footing.”
No one, no matter where, should have to choose between heating their home and putting food on the table, Mr Carson argued.
“And no one should be punished for living in a rural community without access to the gas grid. It is time for meaningful action that reflects the reality of rural energy costs and delivers genuine relief to the people who need it most."
Earlier the UK Government announced a £53 million support package to assist vulnerable households hit by the sharp increate in the price of heating oil.
Sir Keir Starmer said support will be “targeted” to help low income households in rural communities, although local councils will decide who qualifies and how the money is distributed.
Some heating oil customers say their costs have doubled since the outbreak of the US-Israel war with Iran while the competition watchdog has launched a probe into “concerning reports”.
Around 1.5 million UK households use heating oil – some 140,000 of them in Scotland.
