Older people, especially those over the age of 75, living in rural communities across the UK and Ireland, are particularly vulnerable during the winter months when a lack of heating can cause severe problems and even the risk of death.
To help tackle this issue, UKIFDA and our members introduced the Cold Weather Priority scheme (CWP). This industry-wide initiative is designed to identify the individuals most at risk and ensure that UKIFDA members can prioritise deliveries during cold weather or when there are supply shortages.
The scheme is entirely free. To be eligible, you or at least one resident at your address must be 75 years old or older.
The Cold Weather Priority (CWP) scheme enables UKIFDA member heating oil distributors to identify and prioritise elderly customers aged 75+ to ensure they receive the fuel they need to stay warm all winter.
Let your distributor know – If you or someone in your household is aged 75 or over, simply ask your heating oil supplier to register you under the CWP scheme.
Changing supplier? – If you switch distributors, check that they participate in the scheme and re-register with them.
What it means – While CWP doesn’t guarantee immediate delivery, it ensures you’re identified as someone who may need extra support when the temperature drops or demand is unusually high.
If you would like to be included in the scheme, please ask your local heating oil distributor. Click here to find your local heating oil distributor.
Participating UKIFDA members do not automatically identify customers who qualify for the CWP category.
They use a variety of methods to identify entitled households:
Asking about eligibility when you place an order
Contacting customers directly about the scheme
Working with data partners like Experian to help identify households
Members of UKIFDA who participate in the scheme work hard to recognise customers who are 75 years old and older. They also encourage anyone in this age group, or living with someone who is, to inform them so that they can be registered for the CWP scheme.
Government statistics show that there are more deaths during winter, with older people being at higher risk.
The CWP scheme helps heating oil suppliers across the UK and Ireland identify those most likely to need support, enabling them to take proactive steps to prioritise fuel deliveries to these customers during times of fuel shortages or extreme cold weather.
This life-saving initiative is free for heating oil customers. To participate, they simply need to contact their local UKIFDA member heating oil supplier and request to be included in the CWP scheme.
If you or someone in your household is aged 75 or over, contact your local UKIFDA member heating oil supplier and ask to be registered under the Cold Weather Priority scheme.
Ken Cronin, Chief Executive of UKIFDA, says: “Our members play a vital role in keeping rural households warm through the winter. The Cold Weather Priority scheme ensures that those most in need are identified and supported quickly when severe weather strikes.”
