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Oil crisis payment scheme

Oil crisis payment scheme – application guidance

The oil crisis payment is a one‑off payment to support households in Peterborough who rely on heating oil and have experienced a sudden increase in costs. This scheme is specifically for residents who use domestic heating oil and is funded through the Crisis Resilience Fund. 

Successful applicants will receive £250 to support with these costs.
Please read the eligibility criteria below before submitting your application.

Who can apply?

You may be eligible for the oil crisis payment if all the following apply:

  • You are a resident of Peterborough.
  • You use heating oil to heat your home.
  • You have purchased, placed an order or received a quote for heating oil costing more than £500 since 16 March 2026.
  • Your total savings are below £1,000.
  • You can provide acceptable proof of address (such as a recent bank statement or official document).

How to apply

Please apply using the button below. This will take you to the Funding Connect Platform, the Evouchers team will then review and process applications and payments on behalf of the council. This uses the same application form that we use for our Crisis payment scheme.

Supported applications

From the 3 June, you can get support from one of our CRF community partners. Staff and volunteers can help you understand the Crisis Payment Scheme and will support you to complete an application if needed.

What evidence will I need to provide?

After submitting the form, you will be asked to supply:

  • Proof of address (e.g., recent bank statement).
  • Evidence of an oil payment or order over £500 made since 16 March 2026.
  • Your last three months of bank and savings account statements.

Once all your evidence is received, we will assess your application and notify you of the outcome.

Important information

  • Applications cannot be approved without evidence.
  • Applications that do not meet all eligibility criteria will be declined.
  • This payment is for heating oil costs only and cannot be used for other types of fuel or general living costs.
  • This is a limited‑fund scheme and payments are not guaranteed.

Further help and support

Take a look at our wider help with Money and Benefits section.
Get in touch with one of our Crisis Resilience Fund - CRF Community Partners.

The Crisis Resilience Fund (CRF) is a grant provided to local authorities across England to help support low-income households. The fund runs from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029.

The aims of the fund are to:

  1. Provide effective crisis support
  2. Improve individuals’ financial resilience
  3. Bolster the local-level support landscape

You can find more information about CRF at Crisis and Resilience Fund (1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029) - GOV.UK.

At Peterborough City Council, we have committed to using this fund to support households and individuals who are facing financial hardship. It will also help to build financial resilience amongst households and individuals.

Peterborough City Council’s Crisis Payment Scheme, operating under the Crisis Resilience Fund, is designed to provide immediate financial assistance to individuals and families facing acute hardship or unforeseen emergencies. The scheme offers one-off payments to help cover essential living costs during periods of crisis, such as sudden loss of income, unexpected expenses, or situations that put individuals at risk of homelessness. We work with Evouchers, Citizens Advice and Carezone to offer financial support, expert advice and practical support to those in crisis. Eligibility for the scheme is based on an assessment of need, and the support aims to ensure that vulnerable people can maintain stability and avoid further hardship while they seek more sustainable solutions.

The information we collect

We collect and process the following types of personal and special category data:

  • Name
  • DOB
  • Relationship Status
  • Address
  • Council Tax Reference Number
  • Household make up
  • Details of Crisis
  • Benefit situation
  • Uk/Non-UK National
  • Student/Non Student
  • Health and Employment Details
  • Disability information
  • Ethnicity
  • Gender
  • Sexual Orientation
  • Sight Loss
  • Caring Responsibilities
  • Sick Pay Information
  • Property Details
  • Bills and Debt Information
  • Income, Investments and Savings Information
  • Bank Statements
  • Tenancy Agreement
  • ID documents
  • National Insurance numbers

Why We Collect Your Data

We collect your personal data to carry out an assessment of your financial situation before offering support through the Crisis Resilience Fund. This assessment helps us understand your individual circumstances and tailor the services we provide to best support you.

Specifically, we use your information to:

  • Assess your crisis and determine whether you are eligible for a crisis payment
  • Refer you to specialist financial support with Citizens Advice if required.
  • Determine whether you might be eligible for any additional benefits and signpost you accordingly.
  • Refer you to furniture support with Carezone if required.

Lawful basis for processing

Under data protection legislation, the council has to identify what is called a lawful basis for using personal data. The processing of this Personal Data is necessary for the Council to undertake a public task as defined under Article 6 (1)(e) of the GDPR, i.e. the processing is necessary for the Council to perform a task in the public interest or for its official functions, and the task or function has a clear basis in law. The public task in this case is the distribution of the Crisis and Resilience Fund as required by Central Government to eligible individuals and families.

Who we share your data with

Your data may be shared with CRF Community Partners who are involved in delivering support services. All partners operate under either a contract or grant agreement and are required to handle your data securely and lawfully. You will be given the option to consent to your information being shared with Citizens Advice for further financial support. Carezone acts as a supplier and will only process your data as required to fulfil their service obligations.

Some of the agencies we receive and share information with will include:

  • Citizens Advice
  • Policy in Practice
  • Evouchers
  • Carezone

How Long We Keep Your Data

We will keep your personal data for a period of six years, in line with the Council’s data retention policies and statutory requirements. This retention period covers the purposes of administering the Crisis Payment Scheme, including assessing eligibility, making and administering payments, responding to enquiries, complaints or appeals, preventing fraud and misuse of public funds, and meeting audit and reporting requirements.

Once your information is no longer required for these purposes, and the six-year period has elapsed, it will be securely deleted or anonymised in accordance with the Council’s data retention policies and data protection legislation.

Your Rights

You have rights under Data Protection and these are as detailed in the corporate notice and can be accessed on our Data Protection Rights Information page.

Last updated: 01 June 2026
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