Alicia Kearns, the Member of Parliament for Rutland and Stamford, has issued a formal appeal to Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves, demanding urgent economic support for rural communities facing soaring pump prices. In an official House of Commons letter dated May 15, 2026, Kearns strongly advocated for the expansion of the government's Rural Fuel Duty Relief scheme to encompass Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, and Rutland, arguing that residents are being unfairly left behind by current policy boundaries.
The Rural Fuel Duty Relief scheme currently allows registered fuel retailers in specifically designated, highly remote areas of the UK to claim a 5-pence-per-litre discount on duty, passing those direct savings onto motorists. In her letter to the Chancellor, Kearns argues that her constituents face the exact same geographic and economic hurdles as those currently benefiting from the relief. She emphasizes that all three counties are extremely rural and heavily reliant on cars for basic connectivity and travel, meaning public transport is rarely a viable alternative. With a recent surge in fuel prices hitting local households and businesses hard, Kearns views the expansion as a necessary measure to bring the region in line with similar rural areas across the country.
The correspondence also highlights bubbling political tension between the MP and the Treasury. Kearns notes that she initially raised this policy suggestion during Treasury Parliamentary Questions on April 28, but received what she described as an "extremely disappointing," politicized, and dismissive answer from the Chief Secretary of the Treasury.
Expressing her frustration, Kearns writes that she expects the government to focus on mitigating the serious real-world consequences of rising costs rather than attempting to score cheap political points. She stresses that Parliamentary Questions are meant to be a vital platform for cross-party cooperation, particularly when people's livelihoods and their ability to travel for basic necessities are on the line.
Framing the extension as a straightforward fix for a pressing problem, Kearns has urged Chancellor Reeves to give the proposal serious consideration. She concludes by calling the expansion a simple policy decision that would offer immediate, tangible relief to vulnerable rural communities. The Treasury has yet to issue a formal response to the letter, but the pressure is mounting as rural drivers continue to feel the pinch at the pumps.
