Applying for Heating Oil Assistance funding from NCC

The Parish Council has been asked by residents for help in clarifying the qualifying requirements to claim support under the Government's Heating Oil Assistance programme.

We have received the following response:

Funding arrangements are available through Northumberland County Council's Crisis and Resilience Fund.

Northumberland County Council has allocated funding to support residents who rely on heating oil as their primary source of heating and who are experiencing financial hardship as a result of recent increases in heating oil costs.

Support is considered on an individual application basis, as the Council is required to assess each household's circumstances and maintain an evidence trail for the allocation of public funding. To be eligible, applicants must be Northumberland residents who use heating oil as their main heating source and are experiencing financial hardship or vulnerability. This may include residents on a low income, in receipt of qualifying benefits, facing a financial crisis, living with a disability or long-term health condition, or experiencing fuel poverty. In addition, applicants are generally expected to have a critically low oil supply, with a requirement for a delivery within the next four weeks.

As part of the assessment process, applicants are asked to provide evidence of their circumstances, which may include proof of income or benefits, bank statements, and evidence of current oil levels.

Unfortunately, this means the Council is unable to provide support directly to a landlord on behalf of tenants. Each household would need to submit its own application so that an assessment can be completed and eligibility determined.

Eligible households may receive a one-off contribution towards the cost of a heating oil order, paid via a HUGGG voucher, subject to the outcome of the assessment. Please note that any award is intended as a contribution towards the increased cost of heating oil and will not necessarily cover the full cost of a delivery.

Applications can be made online via the following link: