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I won't be able to heat my home..

391 replies

Ihateboris · 31/08/2026 11:00

Due to the war in Iran, I simply cannot afford to heat my home.

I'm on heating oil, and since day 1 of the war, oil prices have risen sharply. I've just done a quick calculation, and to fill my tank today it will cost £550, the day before it all kicked off it would have cost £260. I'm just hoping and praying we have a mild winter. 🙏 Just venting.

OP posts:
Ihateboris · 31/08/2026 12:57

zurigo · 31/08/2026 12:55

I feel for you OP. My DPs are on heating oil too and their usual fill up of £600 now costs over £1000. There are going to be lots of cold people this winter if we have a bad one. I've heard that it's predicted to be stormy and wet, so hopefully not too cold.

Fingers crossed ...

OP posts:
Megsdaughter · 31/08/2026 13:00

@Ihateboris your lucky we filled up in May and it cost us £980.00 to fill our tank. It usually costs us about £400.00.

Westfacing · 31/08/2026 13:00

ToadRage · 31/08/2026 12:29

My heated blanket is a god send. I have always used blankets cos to save money my husband has set the heating so it doesn't come on until the inside temperature falls to 18° but I really feel the cold so for Christmas two years ago he bought me a heated blanket that i keep on my arm chair and snuggle under when it's cold. I do hope this winter is like last winter, it was so mild that I only really needed a jumper if I wasn't going to be outside much. I only wore my coat a few times out shopping. I know a PP already mentioned thermal socks; i swear by peacocks, have worn theirs for years, so cosy.

Edited

... to save money my husband has set the heating so it doesn't come on until the inside temperature falls to 18° but I really feel the cold so for Christmas two years ago he bought me a heated blanket...

Do you have no say in what temperature the thermostat is set at?

I'm always astounded on the many MN thermostat threads in the winter at how many women are uncomfortably cold because the man of the house dictates what month the heating comes on and at what temperature!

Ihateboris · 31/08/2026 13:02

Megsdaughter · 31/08/2026 13:00

@Ihateboris your lucky we filled up in May and it cost us £980.00 to fill our tank. It usually costs us about £400.00.

Bloody hell 😃

OP posts:
Westfacing · 31/08/2026 13:04

Ihateboris · 31/08/2026 12:57

Fingers crossed ...

I think many people are hoping for a mild winter, and an end to Trump's war with Iran

MildlyAnnoyed · 31/08/2026 13:06

I’m in the same boat. I have just over half a tank. The boiler works off the oil so it’s the only way to heat water. I’m going to need to fill up before the end of winter. I keep hoping prices drop & they have a bit but not much. My colleague had to fill up just after the war started & I think she paid over £800 for 600l.

Blarn · 31/08/2026 13:09

Also used to live in a cold house (and a flat in a cold Georgian stone building with no heating). Look up tent booties/slippers. They are ankle high and like a padded coat for your feet. Can also layer socks under them. Really help as they stop draughts around your ankles.

Gettingbysomehow · 31/08/2026 13:14

Ii have a big heated blanket for me and one for the cats. It keeps us toasty all winter long. Shame you havent got a woodburner. My last one kept the house toasty all winter long for free. My current house doesnt have one.

MellowCoralFinch · 31/08/2026 13:20

I would highly recommend getting an Oodie if you can afford it. Not one of the knockoffs. The real ones - https://theoodie.co.uk/collections/clearance#/filter:data-category:oodie-original/filter:data-category:oodie-original-licensed/sort:data-ss:asc

I own two and always feel warm in them. There is a sale at the minute and there's a Man City one for £29. It's worth it even if you don't actually like sports or Man City!

JustOneMoreScroll · 31/08/2026 13:34

LumpyandBumps · 31/08/2026 12:23

I sympathise. Those of us who rely on oil are so much more at the mercy of huge fluctuations, combined with little of the government help and any of regulations that accompany gas and electricity prices.
The current price is around 87p per litre. Before the conflict it was closer to 60p. At one stage they reached something like 148p.
They are still fluctuating, but it does pay to keep your eye on them. I managed to get some at 66p in July when there was a temporary dip in price.
Whilst I echo the use of electric heaters, etc unless you have a smart meter the potential cost is a worry. The only real plus of oil is that once you have it in your tank you are ‘sorted’ and know you can use it when you need to.

@LumpyandBumps where are you? Your oil seems considerably more expensive than Essex and our prices are bad enough. Approx 50p in September 2025, jumping to 122p in March 2026 and then 62p in June 2026

Twatterati · 31/08/2026 13:37

Go round the house now and identify where the draughts are and get them filled - I was amazed at the difference this made. You can get rolls of the sticky draught excluder at DIY shops and on-line. A tiny gap will let so much cold in (and heat out). Not just external doors either - try and prevent internal draughts and get used to closing doors to keep heat in/cold out.

Get some cheap fleece blankets to hang at windows - we have a huge, decorative glass window and did this last year. Stretched it across and used heavy duty ‘stick n stick’ Velcro to secure it. Again, it made a massive difference and prevented heat escaping. I think it works by creating a cold pocket of air between the window and the room itself - the opposite worked in the summer, the hot air was trapped between the blanket and window.

You can buy thermal curtain liners, but I found fleece worked just as well and was far cheaper and the blankets are cheap-cheap in places like Home Bargains, B&M and Amazon.

I also shut off rooms I knew I wasn’t going to use. Had the window vents open in these rooms so they’d air and then sealed off the door to prevent heat escaping.

Then it’s a case of heating yourself and the room you’re in - heated throws, gilets, thermals etc, opening the oven door after cooking can heat a kitchen if there’s no draughts.

I empathise - it’s so shit. However, I will say we got used to it. It takes a few weeks to adjust though and my mind never really adjusted, I was fairly warm physically but still pissed off at the situation, having taken being warm in winter for granted.

Feelinglow2026 · 31/08/2026 13:39

Are there payment plans with the oil company or can they had fill the tank so it's half the upfront cost? (you could then ration the oil more than usual but not completely have no heating at all).

Agree with heated blanket. Hot water bottles too and lots of layers. You may need a dehumidifier if you aren't heating your house at all. So sorry that you're having to make that choice. Any chance you could rent out a room for the winter so you can use their rent money for heating?

NervousSheepy · 31/08/2026 13:47

We don't find oil ends up all that more expensive than when we lived in ahome that had gas central heating, it's just one big up front payment that seems to make it feel bigger. Will they let you do a half tank amount for now? Then you could start putting some aside each month for the next one?

JustLookingThanks · 31/08/2026 13:52

I'm so sorry.
Heated blanket is great plan, also sit on a thick blanket or an old duvet for extra warmth. Also slipper boots, keep your feet warm.
Open your windows briefly in the morning and get a good exchange of air to reduce moisture inside the house and reduce the chance of mould.
If you have a sewing machine go to the charity shop but an old duvet and a cover and make a make shift blind for north facing windows or in rooms you plan to heat. They can go up using one of those expanding tension rods.
A slow cooker is a good call as you're obviously busy out and about working. A hot meal, even a veg soup in the slow cooker is really warming compared to a sandwich.
Get a flask make a cup of coffee for later each time you boil the kettle so you have a constant stream of hot drinks.
Let's hope for a mild winter.

ReleaseTheDucksOfWar · 31/08/2026 13:54

Invest in a really good thermal top. Large initial outlay (30 quid or so) but it massively helps if your trunk is warm

LumpyandBumps · 31/08/2026 13:54

JustOneMoreScroll · 31/08/2026 13:34

@LumpyandBumps where are you? Your oil seems considerably more expensive than Essex and our prices are bad enough. Approx 50p in September 2025, jumping to 122p in March 2026 and then 62p in June 2026

That’s strange. I’m only in a neighbouring county, sunny Suffolk! I’ve just run a check on current prices and they are around 85-87p per litre for a 500 litre delivery.

BunnyLake · 31/08/2026 13:56

Ihateboris · 31/08/2026 11:27

Yes, that's a good idea..

They are worth every penny (heated blankets), don’t cost a lot (circa £35) and only cost pennies to run. I’ll be using mine again this winter to keep costs down. Lying on the sofa, watching tv or reading a book, with an electric blanket, makes winter cosy and bearable.

NoodleHorses · 31/08/2026 13:56

I am all electric and haven’t been able to afford heating for a couple of years now. I ‘live’ in the bedroom all winter. I take the TV there, use a heated blanket and the dogs to stay warm. I can use my electric rads individually, so put a rad on for an hour, 12 or 13° degrees to take the chill off. It’s hard but doable. I am in a normally paid job role, single, so do what I can to keep the bills down.
The dogs wear dog-PJs all winter to help them too.

I absolutely feel for you with the heating oil thing. Look on Amazon etc. for a ‘self heating blanket’. Silentnight do one for about £25 or so. It reflects your body heat. It’s really snuggly, even if it’s Hippo Grey in colour.

shellyleppard · 31/08/2026 13:56

@Ihateboris there was something on the news at the weekend about heating oil companies having to refund customers for overcharging them? Sorry can't remember where I read it

Mum2Fergus · 31/08/2026 13:56

It’s just awful…I’m sorry you’re in this situation. You’ve had some great ideas on the post already…focus on keeping you/occupants warm as opposed to the house. Invest in thermal wear and layers.

SmolTiny · 31/08/2026 13:58

Cold buildings follow me around.
I spent my childhood in a cold house, all my school years in cold schools, cold apartments and houses in uni and more cold apartments as an adult.

A heated blanket is definitely the way to go.

abracadabra1980 · 31/08/2026 13:58

My whole family and extended friends bought a heated blanket a couple of years ago and they are awesome! I have 3 for various rooms and they cost very little to run - 4/5p per hour.

Ihateboris · 31/08/2026 13:58

Mum2Fergus · 31/08/2026 13:56

It’s just awful…I’m sorry you’re in this situation. You’ve had some great ideas on the post already…focus on keeping you/occupants warm as opposed to the house. Invest in thermal wear and layers.

Fortunately there's just me and my hairy Labrador so I can cuddle into him 🤣

OP posts:
Iliketulips · 31/08/2026 13:59

Sorry you have to worry about thus OP. Can you afford a half delivery, so at least you can have some heat when temps ate close to freezing.

Is there anything you don't use, that you could have a go at selling?

When DD was a student, her flat mates refused to pay for heating. She used to have a shower the moment she got in and was warm, rather than a cold body in a cold room once the water was off. Keep any spare blankets you have close to settee. When times were hard years ago, I wore my dressing gown all day over my day clothes. I know my Mum and young next door neighbour do this. Fingerless gloves are handy to prevent stone cold fingers - Primary usually sell them at a low price.

JustOneMoreScroll · 31/08/2026 13:59

LumpyandBumps · 31/08/2026 13:54

That’s strange. I’m only in a neighbouring county, sunny Suffolk! I’ve just run a check on current prices and they are around 85-87p per litre for a 500 litre delivery.

I have just checked and it's 82p with Boiler juice today - slightly cheaper than you but a considerable increase on the price I paid in June and nearly double what I paid last September

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