FUEL costs can be one of the largest items of household expenditure — but a countywide collective in Devon is urging people to join in its effort to cut bills.

Fuel poverty is a serious issue in Devon where a large percentage of the county is off the main gas network. Many of those households will be relying on heating oil and in these times of rising energy costs some families having to choose between eating or heating.

Devon Oil Collective negotiates lower prices for heating oil through the power of bulk buying. By encouraging and enabling people to order their oil together, they are able to make significant savings on the price of their oil. The collective has recently introduced an extended 'buying window' which allows it to capitalise further on any downward pricing trends.

In the last 12 months 315,450 litres of oil has been ordered by members of the collective with savings of between 3p and 6p per litre. Typically, this means a saving of around £45 per 1,000 litres orders which is a collective saving of £13,500 in 12 months.

The Devon Oil Collective was launched in February 2012 by the Community Council of Devon and now has more than 320 members. The scheme is being backed by Devon County Council.

Devon Oil Collective is a social enterprise, which means that it has been established for social gain rather than personal profit.

Any surplus made from the membership fee will be used by the charity to support their charitable activities.

For more information call 01392 248919, email [email protected]">[email protected] or visit http://www.devonrcc.org.uk">www.devonrcc.org.uk