GAS OIL (RED DIESEL)
DESCRIPTION & USAGE
GAS OIL is a fuel used in a relatively small number of industries, where users are entitled to a rebate on the tax or duty paid on the fuel purchased, these include:
- agriculture, horticulture, aquatic farming or forestry
- on land maintained by a community amateur sports club (CASC)
- on a golf course or driving range
- on land occupied by a travelling fair or travelling circus
- emergency generators for hospitals and non-commercial buildings
It is also used to fuel some heating systems but typically IHO is a preferred option.
The government announced in the Budget 2020 that the entitlement to use rebated red diesel or rebated biofuels (e.g. Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil – HVO) would be removed from most sectors, including construction, from 1 April 2022.
This means it is illegal to put red diesel into the tank of a vehicle or machine that will be used for construction work.
Please refer to the government website for full information: Using rebated fuels in vehicles and machines (Excise Notice 75) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
OTHER INFORMATION
This fuel is known under various names, including: GAS OIL, RED DIESEL, tractor diesel, cherry red and agricultural diesel.
RED DIESEL is actually RED in colour, as the name suggests, and also has chemical markers added to it to prevent its misuse in road vehicles.
RED DIESEL is the same as regular white diesel but with the red dye and chemical markers added.