Counter terrorism guidance
The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 (also known as Martyn’s Law) recently received Royal Assent. This legislation was developed in response to the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing.
Tips and advice to help protect external oil tanks from oil theft.
As the cost of oil rises so do heating oil thefts. The first indication that a theft of oil has taken place is usually when the heating system doesn’t work.
There are some measures you can take to protect against theft of oil:
The Control of Pollution (Oil Storage) (England) Regulations 2001 apply to England and similar regulations apply in Scotland and Wales. Good practice suggests that everyone should follow these regulations.
Even if they don't apply to you, you still have a duty to avoid causing pollution and could be prosecuted for failure to do so. The regulations aim to ensure you store oil safely and minimise the risk of pollution.
You can find more information on how to prevent oil thefts as well as specific oil storage regulations in our Oil storage and theft guidance notes.