Rebecca Evans MS, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy & Planning, published a written statement on 12 March 2026 setting out the Welsh Government's response to energy costs rising after the conflict in the Middle East1. She said the cost of oil and gas had increased, with knock-on effects across several sectors of the economy1.
Evans welcomed the international response, including what she described as the release of unprecedented oil reserves from the International Energy Agency, and said the UK continues to have robust energy supplies1. She also welcomed a review by the Competition and Markets Authority following reports from consumers who rely on heating oil, saying constituents in Wales had raised concerns covered by that review, including the cancellation of existing orders and new quotes offered at considerably higher prices1.
"I would urge anyone worried about the price of heating their homes to contact our free Nest Energy Advice service for help and support."
The statement said the Nest service can also signpost households to other help, including the Welsh Government's Discretionary Assistance Fund and the Fuel Bank Foundation, which provides one off payments for fuel for those in need1. The Welsh Government said it has called on the UK Government to act for households where the energy price cap does not provide sufficient protection against rising prices, including those unable to access the gas network1. For businesses, it asked the UK Government to keep existing energy cost support arrangements under review and be ready to add measures if high costs persist1. The First Minister has written to the UK Government welcoming discussions with industry and the reiteration of supplier responsibilities for fair treatment of customers under consumer protection and competition law1.
No figures for price increases, reserve volumes or the number of households affected appear in the statement, and no date has been given for the conclusion of the CMA review1.
Why it matters for households
The statement identifies homes off the gas network as the group the price cap does not fully protect, which covers households heating with oil, including in rural parts of Wales1. For those homes, the reported pattern of cancelled orders and higher replacement quotes affects both the cost of refilling a tank and the ability to secure a delivery at all1. Households on the gas grid are covered by the price cap, but the Welsh Government says it has asked the UK Government to consider whether that protection is sufficient as prices rise1. The practical routes named in the statement are advice through Nest and one off fuel payments through the Discretionary Assistance Fund and the Fuel Bank Foundation1. Energy efficiency schemes and housing standards also shape how much a home needs to buy in the first place, including the Welsh Housing Quality Standard and the closed Arbed scheme. Advice services differ across the UK, as set out in our comparison of Home Energy Scotland and Northern Ireland energy advice, and oil heating remains common in some areas, as covered in oil heating versus gas heating in Northern Ireland.
What happens next
The CMA review into heating oil is under way, with no completion date reported1. The Welsh Government has asked the UK Government to keep energy cost support arrangements under review and to be ready to implement additional measures for businesses if high costs persist1. No further Welsh Government measures or dates were set out in the statement1.