The government has pushed back its plans to introduce an oil boiler ban from 2026 to 2035 after facing significant opposition
The oil boiler ban is set to be introduced in 2035 after the 2026 deadline was extended due to opposition to the scheme(Image credit: Getty)
The oil boiler ban is set to be introduced in 2035 and forms part of the government's plans to decarbonise UK homes.
Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, initially planned to introduce the ban in 2026 for off-grid homes, forcing up to 1.5 million households to seek heating alternatives for their households, such as ground or air source heat pumps.
However, the plans faced significant opposition, even from Sunak's own party, forcing the ban to be delayed until 2035.
What is the proposed oil boiler ban?
The oil boiler ban aims to ban all new oil boilers in all homes by 2035 as part of the government's plans to meet their net zero emissions targets by 2050.
The ban was initially set to be introduced in 2026 in off-grid homes, almost 10 years before other homes were set to be affected.
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These were targeted due to their relatively high carbon emissions and expensive fuels and equated to around 6% of UK households and force them to quickly find alternative heating solutions,
Amongst the concerns was that the ban would be coming too soon with the National Grid not being able to cope with the increased demands for electric heating due to a lack of electricity grid and capacity-trained installers and engineers also pose significant barriers to the switch to heat pumps within the next few years.
Independent think tank, Localis, recommended a postponement of the ban until 2035 to allow the energy infrastructure more time to adapt. This adjustment would also align the oil boiler ban with the broader ban on fossil-fuel boilers scheduled for 2035.
Even within the government there was opposition to the ban with party members expressing concern that the decision could potentially alienate voters in rural areas.
Over 30 members of the Conservative party communicated their concerns to the Prime Minister, reflecting worries about the ban's potentially disproportionate impact on rural communities.
Plans dubbed 'a ULEZ for rural communities'
Former environment secretary George Eustice criticised the oil boiler ban calling it “a ULEZ for rural communities”.
He has instead advocated for owners to adopt eco-friendly fuels to run oil boilers instead of an outright ban. He has drafted an amendment to the Energy Security Bill.
Sir Geoffrey Cox, the former attorney general, described the ban as an "extremely invidious choice" for rural, off-the-grid homeowners as they will be forced to pay for heat pumps or other expensive heating solutions.
Former Secretary of State for the Environment George Eustice said the oil boiler ban was “a Ulez for rural communities” prosing the ban be altered to allow off-the-grid homeowners to use green alternatives fuels for their oil boilers(Image credit: Getty)
Oil boiler ban aiming to push up heat pump applications
Although the government has extended the deadline for the oil boiler ban it states it is committed to encouraging heat pump installations as the primary alternative to oil, gas, and coal boilers.
The Energy Security Bill and oil boiler ban is anticipated to undergo final approval in Parliament in autumn with a spokesman for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero saying: “We will confirm our plans when we publish our response to the consultation in due course.
"We are fully focused on delivering on our aim of 600,000 heat pump installations a year by 2028 and have offered heat pump grants of £7,500 towards the cost.
“We have already issued over £75 million in vouchers (the Boiler Upgrade Scheme) – lowering the price of heat pumps and making it an increasingly similar price to installing a gas boiler.”
News Editor Joseph has previously written for Today’s Media and Chambers & Partners, focusing on news for conveyancers and industry professionals. Joseph has just started his own self build project, building his own home on his family’s farm with planning permission for a timber frame, three-bedroom house in a one-acre field. The foundation work has already begun and he hopes to have the home built in the next year. Prior to this he renovated his family's home as well as doing several DIY projects, including installing a shower, building sheds, and livestock fences and shelters for the farm’s animals. Outside of homebuilding, Joseph loves rugby and has written for Rugby World, the world’s largest rugby magazine.
