Sussex woman takes waitressing job as heating oil bills double
Sheila Williams of Golden Cross says her heating oil bill has doubled since the start of 2026, prompting her to take winter waitressing work as other Sussex homes go without heating.
At a glance
- Sheila Williams of Golden Cross, East Sussex, took a winter waitressing job to pay heating oil bills she says doubled since early 2026.
- Thousands of Sussex homes are not connected to the gas mains and rely on oil; a 1,000-litre tank fill could cost more than £970.
- The government says it has pledged £53m for vulnerable heating oil households and removed the 4% tariff on home heating oil.
A woman in East Sussex has taken on an extra job as a waitress for the winter to help pay for heating her home, after saying her heating oil bill has doubled since the start of 2026.
Sheila Williams, from Golden Cross in East Sussex, said the second job was needed to help her pay her bills. Williams, who has lived alone in a park home for seven years, said: "Words cannot express how upset I am about this."
Her experience is not isolated in the county: thousands of homes in Sussex are not connected to the gas mains and rely on oil for heating, and a household wanting to fill a 1,000-litre tank could face a bill of more than £970.
'We've no heating at all'
Nigel Wanstall, from Sheffield Park, said he could not afford to fill his oil tank and described how his household copes. "We've no heating at all because I can't afford to fill my oil tank," he said. "We use an open fire in the lounge and an electric blanket in bed."
A government spokesperson pointed to support for households that use heating oil: "We have pledged £53m in support for vulnerable households on heating oil and removed the 4% tariff on home heating oil."
For Williams, the response to higher costs has been a second job through the winter months. For Wanstall, an open fire and an electric blanket have replaced central heating. Both are among the Sussex residents whose homes are heated by oil rather than mains gas.
Source: BBC Business.
Questions and answers
- Why has Sheila Williams taken an extra job?
- She says her heating oil bill has doubled since the start of 2026, and the winter waitressing work is needed to help her pay her bills.
- How much does heating oil cost in Sussex?
- A household wanting to fill a 1,000-litre tank could face a bill of more than £970, and thousands of homes in Sussex are not connected to the gas mains.
- What government support exists for heating oil households?
- A government spokesperson said £53m has been pledged in support for vulnerable households on heating oil and the 4% tariff on home heating oil has been removed.
