Clubbing together

One model to achieve discounts on heating oil is through an ‘oil buying club’ where a community coordinator obtains different price quotes on behalf of local households aiming to achieve a discount by shopping around and placing a bulk order.

Following a suggestion from a Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) to investigate high energy prices in rural Scotland and the Scottish Government’s Rural Fuel Poverty Taskforce recommendation of support for oil clubs in 2016, Citizens Advice Scotland wanted a better understanding of the barriers and benefits of such a model

This report is an investigation of such a model highlighting the benefits, barriers to, and opportunities for oil clubs in a volatile market.