After a mild start to the winter, the sudden shift toward colder weather – with snow expected as far south as Kent and Cornwall – has prompted UKLPG, the trade body for the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) industry, to advise householders and business owners to check their LPG supply.

In line with government advice, UKLPG is urging the 150,000 homes and businesses in the UK that currently use LPG for heat and hot water to #getaheadforwinter and place an order now, while suppliers have spare delivery capacity and weather conditions are still favourable.

Rob Shuttleworth, chief executive of UKLPG, said: “While many LPG suppliers have sophisticated customer data systems which will automatically guarantee customers’ tanks are topped up for winter, those users who place their own manual orders should take immediate action to ensure they have a steady supply of heat over the remaining winter months.

UKLPG also advises customers to plan ahead and order early to ensure they have enough to heat their home for when the weather turns colder but also in case of snow and ice that can result in blocked roads, limiting the ability for deliveries to be made.

Mr Shuttleworth said: “LPG users should also ensure that all appliances have been checked and serviced by a Gas Safe registered installer within the past 12 months and that they have done as much as they can to insulate against cold weather."

For more advice, follow @UKLPG on Twitter or use the hashtag #getaheadforwinter. You can also download UKLPG’s top tips for winter from the UKLPG website: www.uklpg.org.