Price of home heating oil in Northern Ireland doubles in less than a fortnight

In less than a fortnight the price of a litre of heating oil has doubled for NI consumers, prompting a plea to the Treasury to come to the aid of struggling families.
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Petrol and diesel costs are also spiralling upwards on a daily basis, and coupled with a succession of gas price rises, it means the cost of living crisis is impacting every single householder and motorist in the Province.

According to price comparison website Cheapest Oil, the price of a litre of heating oil in Northern Ireland has risen from 61.5p on February 23 to 120.5p per litre yesterday – a near 100% increase in 13 days.

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Just last Wednesday the average cost of 900 litres of oil was £774.

Home heating oil prices are rising steeply across Northern IrelandHome heating oil prices are rising steeply across Northern Ireland
Home heating oil prices are rising steeply across Northern Ireland

Last night it had reached £1,070.

The dearest price being charged for heating oil in the Province as of yesterday evening was £1,199 for 900 litres, £676 for 500 litres and £417 for 300 litres.

Petrol and diesel has risen dramatically with £1.81 per litre of fuel being reported in some forecourts.

The DUP’s Ian Paisley is one of a number of politicians asking the Government for help for struggling families.

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The North Antrim MP urged the Treasury to make a temporary cut to fuel duty and VAT to help motorists in NI who he said are paying £120 per week just to drive to and from work.

The North Antrim MP said: “Within a rural area like Northern Ireland, many who work in our schools, hospitals and manufacturing have no access to public transport and depend on their car.”

He said: “Party leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has written to Chancellor with serious proposals which would help working families. It is time for the Government to step up and address a problem which has been predicted for weeks.”

Other proposals made by the DUP include cancelling the planned 1.25% increase in National Insurance contributions and offering targeted extra support to households in greatest need.

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UUP leader Doug Beattie has written to Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic asking for immediate action to bring about a reduction in VAT on energy costs across the United Kingdom.

He said: “If this can be done, it will give the most vulnerable hope that we can get through this present crisis which will help the material and societal wellbeing of the people of Northern Ireland.”

He added: “I am extremely concerned that energy prices are soaring exponentially throughout the United Kingdom creating real societal difficulty.”

Sinn Fein leader Michelle O’Neill said the Tory government must do more support workers and families struggling with cost of living.

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She also blamed the DUP for “walking away” from the Executive thus preventing a budget from being set while also preventing ministers from taking further action.

In a letter to PM Boris Johnson, Ms O’Neill called on the British government to abandon its plans to hike people’s taxes from April and to introduce a windfall tax on high-profiting energy companies.

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