Belfast homes that run on oil finally get a date. Northern Ireland’s one-off £100 Home Heating Oil Support voucher opens for applications on Wednesday 9 September 2026 — and it is not automatic. You have to apply.
The Department for Communities scheme is a digital voucher to buy home heating oil from NI suppliers. It is not cash, and it is not a high-street Spend Local card. Around 340,000 households are in scope, backed by £36.4 million from the UK Government and NI Executive. Applications stay open until 31 March 2027.
With prices still biting — we covered the recent heating oil spike hitting Belfast homes — this is the practical how-to for families who heat with oil.
Who can apply?
You may be eligible if all of the following are true:
You live in Northern Ireland, oil is the main heating source in your home, it is your main residence, and for at least one day in a qualifying period you meet the income or benefit rules below.
Qualifying periods: any day between Wednesday 1 April and Thursday 30 April 2026, or any day between Sunday 1 November and Monday 30 November 2026.
And one of:
- You get a qualifying income-related benefit: Universal Credit, Pension Credit, or income-related Employment and Support Allowance; or
- You get a qualifying disability benefit: Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment, Attendance Allowance, Armed Forces Independence Payment, or certain Constant Attendance / War Pension elements; or
- You are a single person or part of a couple (including pensioners) with joint net annual income under £30,000 after tax, National Insurance and pension contributions.
One voucher per residential address. If you are a couple or live in a house in multiple occupation, only one person should apply. A voucher will not affect your benefits. Income declared on a self-assessment tax return does not count as income for the £30,000 threshold.
Who is not eligible?
You may not qualify if, for the whole of the qualifying period you use, you were a nursing or care home resident, a hospital inpatient, a prisoner, or living outside Northern Ireland.
How do I apply?
Online only via nidirect’s Home Heating Oil Support service: nidirect.gov.uk/services/home-heating-oil-support.
You will need your National Insurance number, income details if you are not on a qualifying benefit, and an email address or smartphone number. You may be asked for evidence that the address is your main home, that oil is the main heat source, and your income.
A helpline and help at Jobs & Benefits offices are available from 9 September if you need support to apply.
What happens after I’m awarded?
Successful applicants get a digital voucher via Huggg (link or QR). Activate it within three months — that creates a virtual prepaid card valid for one month. Use it with Northern Ireland oil suppliers only. It is not cash.
Scam warning
nidirect is the only official place to apply. You will never be asked for bank details or to pay money to claim. If a text, email or call asks for either, treat it as a scam and report it. Do not share bank details.
The essentials
What: One-off £100 digital voucher for home heating oil (DfC)
Opens: Wednesday 9 September 2026
Closes: 31 March 2027
Apply: nidirect Home Heating Oil Support
Not: Cash or Spend Local — oil from NI suppliers only
For anyone in Belfast still filling the tank this autumn: check the qualifying periods, gather your NI number, and apply as soon as the form opens on Wednesday. Full official detail stays on nidirect.
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