Norfolk County Council has received approximately £3 million from central government to set up an emergency fund for households struggling to afford heating oil, after a period of significant price increases.

The fund is aimed at residents at risk of losing heating or hot water — a particular concern in rural Norfolk, where many homes are not connected to the mains gas network and depend on oil as their primary fuel source.

Vice-Chair and Cabinet Member for Finance Cllr Andrew Jamieson highlighted the decision at the 7 April cabinet meeting, noting the acute pressure that rising oil prices had placed on affected households.

The Chair, Cllr Kay Mason Billig, acknowledged that demand for support was likely to continue and said the council would focus on careful targeting of the fund. She also indicated that the Household Support Fund could potentially be used to supplement the crisis fund if needed.

The decision was taken as a delegated officer decision rather than requiring a full cabinet vote, meaning it was already in place by the time it was reported to cabinet members.

Norfolk's rural geography means a higher-than-average proportion of its households rely on heating oil compared to the national picture, leaving many residents more exposed to fuel cost volatility than those in urban areas with access to mains gas.