The Belgian government is increasing financial support for households that rely on heating oil, responding to a sharp rise in fuel prices that has put pressure on budgets across the country. The temporary measure, announced on Friday by Federal Energy Minister Mathieu Bihet, will add €15 million to existing aid programmes.
The enhanced subsidy applies to heating oil deliveries made between 1 December 2026 and 28 February 2027. Under the revised scale, the maximum allowance rises from €0.20 per litre to €0.50 per litre when the price of heating oil reaches €1.775 per litre or more. The support is designed to scale with market prices, offering greater relief when costs spike.
The move comes as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East continue to disrupt energy markets. Brent crude traded at $114 a barrel on Friday, up from around $70 before the escalation of the US-Israeli conflict with Iran. That volatility has pushed up heating oil prices across Europe, prompting EU ministers to weigh demand cuts as the crisis persists.
Targeted help, not universal relief
The additional funding is aimed at households already eligible for the Social Heating Fund, not at all consumers. "Heating one's home should never become a luxury. When the price of heating oil rises sharply, it is the most vulnerable households that feel the impact most severely," Bihet said. "We are temporarily increasing support to help them get through the winter with greater peace of mind and protect their purchasing power."
Heating oil remains a significant source of residential heating in several EU countries, including Cyprus and Ireland. In Belgium, it accounts for roughly 35% of residential space heating, second only to natural gas. Usage is especially high in rural areas and older buildings, particularly in Wallonia, where nearly half of households depend on heating oil because they lack access to the gas grid.
Across the EU, heating oil provides about 14% of residential space-heating energy, with roughly one in six heating systems running on oil, according to Odyssee-Mure, a tool that supports the evaluation of energy-efficiency policies.
At the current Belgian price of €1.62 per litre, a typical delivery of 1,500 litres costs €2,430. The existing maximum subsidy of €300 covers only a fraction of that bill. Under the reinforced scheme, the allowance would rise to €487, bringing the household's net cost down to €1,943.
However, the support is limited to households that meet the existing eligibility criteria for the Social Heating Fund. It is not available to everyone who uses heating oil. Bihet advised applicants to check their eligibility and the application procedure with their local public social welfare centre, known as the CPAS in French or OCMW in Dutch.
The government has allocated €7.5 million to the Social Heating Fund to finance the increased heating allowance, with a further €7.5 million earmarked for the Gas and Electricity Fund. Support under the latter scheme is also distributed through public social welfare centres, subject to eligibility criteria.
While the measures offer short-term relief, their limited budget and eligibility requirements mean many households facing higher energy bills will receive no additional support. The announcement comes as eurozone inflation climbs to 3.8%, driven in part by surging energy costs, and as EU confronts an inflation surge that is squeezing household budgets across the bloc.
Bihet said the increase was intended to protect the purchasing power of families most exposed to rising heating costs. The measure is part of a broader effort to cushion the impact of energy price volatility, though it remains a stopgap rather than a structural solution.
