ACRE survey results published…

Posted on By Sarah Hallberg
General
Dear Members You may have recently responded to a survey from Jake asking for information about whether your community building uses heating oil. We thought you may be interested in the survey results and a little more on why ACRE is interested in this information and what may happen to it. On 26 June 2026, ACRE highlighted the difficulties faced by rural households that rely on heating oil, particularly those not connected to the gas grid. Earlier in the year, disruption to global fuel markets resulted in some heating oil prices increasing by more than 100%. ACRE has been raising these issues with Government and is seeking more equitable support for rural communities affected by the heating oil market. It is also aware that the issue does not only affect households – village halls and other community buildings can also rely on oil for heating and hot water. The 2020 National Village Halls Survey found that 17.6% of village halls used oil for heating. ACRE is now trying to establish how many community buildings are affected and how they use oil. This will help it decide whether there is a case for specifically representing village halls in discussions about the heating oil market and Government support. ACRE is currently gathering information from CAN equivalents across the country rather than asking every hall to complete a detailed survey. The information collected in Northumberland in August 2026 shows:
  • 84 community buildings responded
  • 26 use oil for heating
  • 18 use oil for hot water
This provides useful evidence that heating oil is still an important issue for a significant number of rural community buildings. At this stage, ACRE is building an evidence base. The information will help it understand the scale of the issue and determine whether further research or action is needed. If there is sufficient evidence, it could help ACRE make a stronger case for village halls and other rural community buildings when engaging with Government and others about the heating oil market and appropriate support. There is no commitment at this stage to a particular outcome. ACRE is first trying to understand the situation.