Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential financial impact of rising fuel costs on households in England.

The Government recognises that families and businesses will be worried about the impact of conflict in the Middle East here at home and that increases in fuel prices can put strain on household budgets, particularly those that rely heavily on road transport and heating oil.

The Government monitors road fuel and heating oil prices and considers their impact on household budgets, using published fuel price data and wider evidence on household affordability.

The burden of higher fuel costs falls disproportionately on lower-income households, with those in the lowest income decile spending the highest proportion of their disposable income on fuel.

As of 12^th October, the average cost to fill a 50-litre car with diesel is £100, £29 higher than pre-conflict, while for petrol it is £88, £22 higher.^[1]

As of June, 38% of those who use oil as the main heating source in their home said they have difficultly affording heating oil.^[2]

^[1] Weekly road fuel prices (DESNZ, 2026)

^[2] Public opinions and social trends, Great Britain: personal experiences of shortages of goods - Office for National Statistics (ONS, June 2026)