Claims extracted
17
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
18%
3 of 17 hedged
("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
withheld
no quote in the article backed the model's score
Publisher signals
66/100
Evening Standard's corrections and
hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
1
Politics
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Heating oil market to be better regulated under plans to help households
asserted
market → regulate → households
The Department for Energy and Net Zero (DESNZ) confirmed it would accept the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) recommendation to strengthen regulation in the heating oil sector.
asserted
it → confirm → sector
It found that price increases after the Middle East conflict largely reflected rising wholesale costs but that, although suppliers had not profited materially from the crisis, consumers were not as well protected as those connected to the grid.
asserted
consumers → find → grid
The CMA found that 1,700 households were owed compensation after they were forced to reorder heating oil at higher prices when their orders were cancelled by suppliers.
asserted
orders → find → suppliers
Heating oil customers fall outside of Ofgem’s energy price cap protection, which currently fixes prices until the end of December.
asserted
which → fall → December
The Government said stronger consumer protections would ensure families who rely on heating oil are treated fairly, especially when global pressures cause prices to rise.
asserted
prices → say → oil
Minister for energy consumers Polly Billington said: “Thousands of heating oil customers felt they had nowhere to turn when they paid the price of rising oil and gas costs earlier this year.
asserted
they → say → costs
“We won’t accept that.
asserted
We → accept → that
“Energy is an essential good and people should not have to think twice about whether they’re protected in the market.
asserted
they → have → market
“That’s why we will reform the sector, holding heating oil suppliers to account and giving consumers confidence that they will get a fair deal.”
asserted
they → ’ → deal
In the short term, households will also have strengthened protection in the form of a code of conduct, while industry practices setting minimum order volumes at 500 litres for some consumers, requiring them to pay for more heating oil than they may need, will be reviewed.
uncertain
they → strengthen → oil
Gordon and Buchan Conservative MP Harriet Cross wrote to the CMA and the then energy secretary Ed Miliband in March calling for an investigation, as well as to request that the Government help households who could not afford the sudden price hikes.
uncertain
who → write → hikes
Ms Cross said she had been contacted by several rural residents who had been hit with price increases, rising from £500 for 700 litres of heating oil in January to more than £1,000 since the start of the war, with lengthy delivery times.
asserted
who → say → times
Unlike mains gas and electricity, heating oil is typically bought in large volumes, meaning households can face bills of around £500 or more at a time.
asserted
households → buy → time
The CMA found that prices tended to be lowest in Northern Ireland, where more than 60% of households rely on heating oil, but those in many remote areas – including parts of Scotland – generally had less choice of suppliers and faced higher prices because of the increased costs of serving these areas.
The lack of protection for these households became “especially problematic” during periods of volatility – for example, where demand increases as a result of more severe weather conditions or where supply is disrupted by geopolitical developments – “both of which may become more common in future”, the CMA warned.
uncertain
CMA → find → future
It recommended that governments require suppliers to register and meet minimum standards, which include how prices are quoted, cancellations are managed and giving households access to independent dispute resolution.
asserted
cancellations → recommend → resolution
The CMA also recommended a review of rules and regulations around minimum order volumes to allow people to buy smaller amounts of heating oil.
asserted
people → recommend → oil
The Aporia
