Where they are
Oil and LPG are rural fuels in Lancashire. The census table below ranks the 14 councils by the combined share of households using either one alone. Ribble Valley leads, with 7.1% on oil and 2.6% on LPG. At the other end, in Blackpool, Hyndburn and Burnley, fewer than one household in a hundred used either.
| Council | Oil households | Oil share | LPG households | LPG share | No gas meter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ribble Valley | 1,888 | 7.1% | 704 | 2.6% | 15.38% |
| West Lancashire | 1,586 | 3.3% | 1,116 | 2.3% | 10.83% |
| Wyre | 1,226 | 2.4% | 808 | 1.6% | 9.08% |
| Lancaster | 1,463 | 2.4% | 697 | 1.2% | 14.37% |
| Pendle | 582 | 1.5% | 309 | 0.8% | 4.25% |
| Fylde | 439 | 1.2% | 393 | 1.0% | 11.16% |
| Chorley | 613 | 1.2% | 275 | 0.5% | 5.82% |
| Preston | 688 | 1.2% | 338 | 0.6% | 10.61% |
| South Ribble | 383 | 0.8% | 333 | 0.7% | 3.14% |
| Rossendale | 231 | 0.8% | 146 | 0.5% | 4.57% |
| Blackburn with Darwen | 315 | 0.5% | 289 | 0.5% | 3.31% |
| Burnley | 166 | 0.4% | 152 | 0.4% | 3.06% |
| Hyndburn | 94 | 0.3% | 167 | 0.5% | 2.65% |
| Blackpool | 57 | 0.1% | 169 | 0.3% | 10.81% |
Ribble Valley's oil share of 7.1% is about double the England and Wales figure of 3.5%. West Lancashire has the most LPG households of any council here (1,116), and Wyre and Lancaster each have more than a thousand oil households.
The higher band
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme normally pays £7,500 towards an air source or ground source heat pump. From 21 July 2026 to 31 March 2027, homes heated by oil or LPG with no mains gas can get £9,000. The conditions, as Ofgem's guidance sets them out:
- The home is heated by oil or LPG at the time of the application.
- It is off the gas grid: not fuelled by mains gas, with no record of an existing gas meter point, not attached to a heat network and not a new build.
- A capped or clamped gas meter counts as mains gas, so a home with one does not qualify for the higher band.
- The installer's application is properly made by 31 March 2027.
- The normal scheme rules apply: the applicant owns the property, it is not social housing, and the installer is MCS certified and belongs to a consumer code.
As published at the time of checking, applications after 31 March 2027 return to the standard band. Because the date that counts is the installer's application, not the fitting, planning early matters if the higher band is the reason to go ahead.
Air source or ground source
Most oil and LPG homes in Lancashire are detached or semi-detached houses outside the towns, often with a garden, a yard or land. Air source is the common choice: a unit outside, a cylinder inside and the existing radiators kept or enlarged. Ground source takes heat from pipes buried in trenches or a borehole, costs more to install, but draws on a steadier temperature through a Lancashire winter. It is permitted development under Class C within a home's grounds, subject to the usual checks for listed buildings.
Detached houses can have up to two air source units under Class G, which helps where a large old farmhouse needs more heat than one unit can supply.
Practical points for the swap
- The tank: an oil tank is usually emptied, made safe and removed, or decommissioned in place. Check whether the quote covers it.
- LPG contracts: many LPG tanks are rented from the supplier with a notice period. Read the contract before setting a date.
- The cylinder: many oil systems already have a hot water cylinder, though it may need replacing with one designed for a heat pump.
- Radiators: older farmhouses with thick walls lose heat fast; the room-by-room heat-loss survey decides which radiators need enlarging.
- Electricity supply: a rural home at the end of a long line can have a weaker supply; the installer checks it and notifies the network operator.
Running costs
The running-cost comparison depends on oil or LPG prices, electricity tariffs and how well the heat pump is designed and set up. A well-designed heat pump delivers several units of heat for each unit of electricity, but oil and LPG are priced differently, so the comparison is not the same for each fuel. Ask the installer for an estimate based on your own fuel bills and the design's expected efficiency, not on a national average.
Where it matters most
Over half of the oil and LPG households counted here are in four councils: Ribble Valley, West Lancashire, Wyre and Lancaster. In those councils the higher band is the main reason to look before it ends; in the rest, oil and LPG homes are scattered and easy to overlook. If yours is one of them, the district finder shows your council's figures and Warm Homes route.