£100 oil voucher scheme to open in September

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has announced that the Home Heating Oil Support Scheme will open for applications on 9 September 2026, with around 340,000 eligible households in the north able to apply for the £100 oil voucher. The scheme will remain open until 31 March 2027.

Minister Lyons said: "I am making this advance announcement to help eligible people get ready to make their application. My officials have worked at pace to put in place a fair and robust system to help hard-pressed families and individuals who are struggling to meet heating oil costs. I would encourage anyone who may be eligible, or those assisting them, to review the eligibility criteria online and ensure they are ready to submit an application when the scheme opens."

One voucher per address will be payable where applicants use oil as their main source of heating and receive a qualifying income-related benefit, or a disability benefit, or have an annual income for single people or couples of less than £30,000 after allowable deductions. The £36.4 million scheme comprises £17.2 million allocated by the UK Government and an additional £19.2 million provided by the Executive.

Minister Lyons said he was pleased to have secured Executive support for additional funding to help meet the immediate pressure of rising oil costs, but added that the measure did not go far enough. He said: "I will be pressing for funding support for the Warm Healthy Homes Strategy to bring meaningful, lasting change for people living in fuel poverty. I will also be making an announcement later in the year on changes to the Discretionary Support Scheme to ensure fuel grant assistance is available to those in need, regardless of the type of home heating they rely on."

Those wishing to apply or seeking more information on the scheme can visit nidirect at www.nidirect.gov.uk/oil-support-scheme. Anyone needing further assistance can contact staff at the Jobs and Benefits network or the Home Heating Oil Support Scheme helpline on 0800 072 0266 from 9 September onwards, while the Department's Make the Call and Veterans Support Line NI services will also be available to provide support. The Department is also working with partners in the advice and oil sectors to provide additional support.

Advice NI's Matt Cole said: "We have been in close contact with officials from the Department for Communities and appreciate the commitment to developing an application process that should make claiming a payment as fair and straightforward as possible. As always, the independent advice network stands ready to assist those who need help. As such, anyone who wants to check their eligibility, who needs support with making an application, or who encounters any problems with their claim, can get in touch for free, impartial advice."

Raymond Gormley of the Consumer Council said: "The Consumer Council encourages all eligible households to apply to the £100 Home Heating Oil Support Scheme. With continued pressure on household budgets, this support can make a valuable contribution towards the cost of a fill of home heating oil."

David Blevings, Director of the NI Oil Federation, said: "We welcome the Home Heating Oil Support Scheme as this will assist consumers in reducing their oil bills as we go into the winter months. While the oil price has fallen back from the initial spike, the situation is still volatile, and this assistance will be greatly appreciated by those who qualify for this support."

Eligible groups identified as most vulnerable to increased heating oil costs include:

1. Households in receipt of income-related benefits, including Pension Credit, Universal Credit and Income Related Employment and Support Allowance;  
2. Households in receipt of disability benefit, including Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment, Attendance Allowance, Armed Forces Independence Payment, the Constant Attendance Allowance element of Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit, the Constant Attendance Allowance or Mobility Supplement element of the War Pension Scheme; and
3. Single people and couples (including pensioners) with an annual household income of less than £30,000 (net of allowable deductions).