Oil or gas for 51 square meter bungalow with two bedrooms?

[fitzykev]

I have been accepted for a heating grant and i dont know if i shoukd stick with oil or change to gas. I live in a small two bedroon bungalow aprox 51 square meters.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Oil is usually the second option, when there is no gas availability in the area.

 

[fitzykev]

I am in northern ireland and there is only two suppliers to choose from as far as i am aware. I think there is more ootiin to shop around for oil. I just cant decide what to do and need to decide by lunch time tomorrow.

 

[Tigercubrider]

I am guessing it’s bottled gas?

 

[fitzykev]

No its mains gas

 

[Tigercubrider]

I would have thought that gas would always be cheaper than oil?
Don’t know if you live in the sticks but oil can be stolen,

 

[fitzykev]

So i have found out this information...

Current market rates for January 2026 in Northern Ireland indicate that heating oil is currently significantly cheaper than natural gas for the same amount of energy (9,115 kWh).


Here is the breakdown of the costs with the cheapest available suppliers.

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• Volume Needed: 9,115 kWh converts to approximately 881 litres of kerosene (based on the standard 10.35 kWh per litre).

• Cheapest Supplier Rate: As of mid-January 2026, the cheapest suppliers in Northern Ireland (such as TDF Oil or Cross County Fuels) are charging around £499 – £505 for 900 litres.
• Estimated Cost:
  • Price for 900 Litres (Standard Order): ~£500
  • Prorated Cost for exactly 9,115 kWh (881 Litres): ~£489

• Note: Oil prices fluctuate daily. You typically cannot order exactly 881 litres; you would order 900 litres (a standard fill) for approximately £500.

  
  
  

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  • Usage: 9,115 kWh per year.
  • Cheapest Supplier Rate: The cheapest regulated gas tariff currently available is likely Firmus Energy (Ten Towns network) or SSE Airtricity (Greater Belfast) depending on your location, but regulator data from late 2025/early 2026 sets the competitive unit rate at approximately 7.79p per kWh (including VAT).
  • Estimated Cost:
    • Calculation: 9,115 kWh × 7.79p = £710.06
    • Standing Charges: Many domestic NI gas tariffs (Credit/Direct Debit) build costs into the unit rate or have minimal standing charges for this usage level, but this figure covers the primary usage cost.

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