The figures have sparked calls for urgent action from independent Senedd candidate Carl Peters-Bond, who warned families are being left with “no choice but to absorb soaring prices.”
Villages among worst hit in Wales
Data highlighted by the BBC shows just how exposed parts of the county are:
- 69% of households in Llannon, Cross Hands and Pen-y-groes rely on oil
- 65% in Abergwili, Llanegwad and Carmel
- 41% in Llanddarog, Llangyndeyrn and Ferryside
Across Wales, around 7% of homes depend on oil — but that figure jumps dramatically in rural areas like Carmarthenshire.
Bills double — and supplies dry up
The warning comes as families across Wales report being left without heating or forced to pay sky-high prices.
In one case reported by the BBC, a family saw a £323 oil order cancelled — only to be forced to pay £750 elsewhere.
Meanwhile, a man in Garnant said his annual bill could soar from £1,000 to £3,000, adding: “The heating has gone off… I’m basically having to dress up and keep moving.”
“People have no choice”
Peters-Bond said the crisis is already biting in Carmarthenshire:
“This crisis is hitting Carmarthenshire directly. When two-thirds of households in some communities rely on oil, people have no choice but to absorb soaring prices.”
He said funding announced by the UK Government must be targeted at rural areas first.
£3.8m for Wales — but who gets it?
The UK Government has unveiled a £53 million support package for households hit by rising oil prices — with £3.8 million allocated to Wales.
But Peters-Bond warned the money must not get lost in bureaucracy:
“The UK Government has released funding — now the Welsh Government must make sure every penny of that £3.8m reaches the rural households who need it most.”
“Competition won’t fix this”
While industry bodies have welcomed a review into oil pricing, Peters-Bond said that won’t help families stuck off the gas grid:
“Rural families aren’t choosing oil because it’s cheap — they’re choosing it because they’ve been left without options. Competition only works when people can switch.”
Calls for urgent action
He is now calling for:
- Emergency financial support for oil-dependent households
- A major retrofit programme to help homes switch to cheaper, greener heating
- A long-term plan to reduce reliance on volatile oil markets
Global crisis hitting local homes
The surge in prices has been linked to rising global oil costs amid conflict in the Middle East — with experts warning the situation could worsen heading into winter.
And for many in rural Carmarthenshire, the message is clear: without urgent help, the coming months could be even tougher.
“You can’t copy-and-paste urban policies onto rural Wales,” Peters-Bond added.
“Carmarthenshire needs solutions designed for Carmarthenshire.”
