Starmer Announces £53m Heating Oil Support As UK Works On Strait Of Hormuz Plan With Allies

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced a £53 million support package for households reliant on heating oil, as the government works with international allies on a plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz following the conflict in Iran.
Speaking publicly, Starmer outlined five measures his government is taking to shield British households from rising energy costs driven by the ongoing conflict. Energy bills will remain capped until the end of June, saving the average household £170, while the fuel duty freeze has been extended to September. A £150 warm homes discount remains in place for the most vulnerable, and the newly announced £53 million package will provide further relief to rural communities dependent on heating oil.
The fifth measure, Starmer said, is continued efforts toward a swift resolution of the Middle East conflict — describing an end to the war as “the quickest way to reduce cost of living.”
On the question of the Strait of Hormuz, Starmer confirmed he spoke with US President Donald Trump by phone, describing it as a “good discussion” about the waterway. He said discussions on a viable plan were underway but acknowledged the task was neither easy nor straightforward. “The Strait of Hormuz must be reopened to ensure stability in the markets,” he said, adding that the UK is working with “all of our allies” to bring a plan for restoring freedom of navigation.
Trump had previously warned it would be “very bad for the future of Nato” if allies failed to help secure the critical shipping route. The US president also said he expects China to play a role in unblocking the strait.
Starmer described the US operation as having “massively weakened” Iran’s military capability but said a negotiated agreement would be needed after the conflict to limit Iran’s ability to rebuild its nuclear programme and secure international shipping lanes.
Asked whether the state of public finances limited the support his government could offer if the conflict continued, Starmer said his instinct was always to protect people from cost of living pressures, while acknowledging uncertainty about what conditions might look like in the months ahead.
On the prospect of deploying UK troops, Starmer said it was the toughest question any prime minister could face, and that any such decision would need to rest on a legal basis with a properly considered plan in place.
Israel separately announced it had begun what it described as limited and targeted ground operations against Iranian-backed Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​