Belgium expands winter heating support for vulnerable households
Higher heating-oil allowances will apply to eligible deliveries between 1 December 2026 and 28 February 2027.
Belgium is putting €7.5 million into higher heating-oil allowances for vulnerable households, alongside a separate €7.5 million allocation for gas and electricity assistance. Federal Energy Minister Mathieu Bihet announced the temporary winter increase, saying it aimed to safeguard the purchasing power of families most affected by rising heating costs.
The maximum payment per litre will climb as oil becomes more expensive, starting at €0.20 and reaching €0.50 at a fuel price of at least €1.775 per litre. The higher allowances cover deliveries from 1 December 2026 until 28 February 2027.
With Belgian heating oil currently priced at €1.62 per litre, buying 1,500 litres costs €2,430. For that delivery, the expanded allowance would provide €487 rather than the current maximum of €300. The household would then bear a net cost of €1,943.
Access remains subject to the Social Heating Fund’s existing rules, rather than extending to all heating-oil users. Bihet directed applicants to their local public social welfare centre for eligibility checks and application details. Those centres also distribute assistance from the Gas and Electricity Fund.
Heating oil provides around 35 per cent of residential space heating in Belgium, making it the second-largest source after natural gas. Rural homes and older properties use it particularly heavily. Nearly half of Wallonia’s households depend on oil because they cannot access the gas network.
