Caoimhe Archibald proposes a mandatory supplier code, stronger dispute resolution and an opt-in register for vulnerable customers after a competition inquiry.
Northern Ireland Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald announced plans on 10 November 2026 for a mandatory heating-oil supplier code, stronger dispute resolution and an opt-in register for vulnerable customers. The measures still need to be developed; she did not provide dates for them to take effect.
The package follows a study by the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) after a sharp rise in heating-oil prices. It does not include price controls: the CMA did not recommend them, saying they could be counterproductive.
About two thirds of Northern Ireland households use heating oil, the highest proportion of any UK region. Prices rose by a record monthly rate of 92% in March, at the start of the US-Israel attack on Iran, BBC Business said.
The CMA concluded that rising wholesale costs largely explained the spike. It also found the Northern Ireland market generally competitive, with prices tending to be lower because of the range of suppliers and a market large enough to minimize delivery costs.
The CMA launched its study on 20 March 2026 and published its final report on 15 July 2026. Archibald then established a working group comprising officials from her department, the Consumer Council and the Trading Standards Service to assess its findings for the local market. She said she accepted the recommendations in principle at a meeting with the CMA on 15 October 2026 and incorporated its comments into her November statement.
The planned mandatory code would build on the local Oil Federation’s voluntary code. It is intended to make minimum order volumes, payment and delivery terms, and related charges clearer to customers.
The Consumer Council already gives advice, handles complaints and helps customers resolve disputes with suppliers. It would keep responsibility for advice and dispute resolution, while the Trading Standards Service could consider potential breaches of consumer protection law.
Archibald proposes a clearer route for resolving contract or service disputes. She said future legislation could further strengthen the council’s ability to secure redress, or a remedy for a customer, along lines similar to Britain’s Energy Ombudsman. She said this approach could improve outcomes without a more extensive licensing regime, and described the package as proportionate and involving minimal additional cost in a competitive market with many very small suppliers.
The Consumer Council will develop the voluntary register using eligibility criteria informed by the CMA’s definition of vulnerability and adapted to the local market. Archibald said an opt-in register would allow targeted support at lower cost than registering every heating-oil customer, while balancing the administrative, operational and data-protection challenges of a more comprehensive register.
The council will also develop plans for a Priority Service Programme intended to prioritize vulnerable customers for support during supply disruptions or fuel shortages.
Subject to suitable data-sharing arrangements, the council will work with the Utility Regulator and NIE Networks to consider existing and emerging care registers for use in the heating-oil market. The Information Commissioner’s Office will also be consulted on arrangements that meet data-protection requirements.
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