UK Fuel Price FAQs

Supermarket forecourts (Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons) typically offer the lowest prices, usually 5–8p per litre below the UK average. Use petrolpricesnearyou.com to compare live prices at stations near your postcode, updated every 30 minutes from the official UK Government Fuel Finder scheme.

The current UK average unleaded petrol price is updated daily on our homepage using live data from the Government Fuel Finder scheme, which requires all UK forecourts to publish prices within 30 minutes of any change. Check petrolpricesnearyou.com for today's figure.

Diesel typically costs more than petrol due to higher refinery processing costs, stronger global demand from haulage and logistics, and historically different tax treatment. Refinery margins on diesel are generally wider than on petrol, which feeds through to UK pump prices.

Petrol prices are typically lowest mid-week (Tuesday to Thursday) and tend to rise ahead of bank holidays and school holidays when demand increases. Prices also often fall a few days after wholesale oil price drops, once the reduction feeds through the supply chain.

Since February 2026, UK forecourts are legally required to update their published prices within 30 minutes of any change under the Government Fuel Finder scheme. In practice, most stations update prices once or twice daily, though supermarkets may update more frequently.

The UK fuel duty rate is 52.95p per litre for both petrol and diesel, with the 5p temporary cut extended until 31 December 2026 by Chancellor Rachel Reeves. VAT at 20% is also applied on top of the pump price including duty.

Supermarkets are cheaper in most cases — typically 5–8p per litre less than branded forecourts like Shell or BP. However, supermarket sites near motorways or in remote rural areas can sometimes match or exceed branded prices. Always compare live prices at your specific location using petrolpricesnearyou.com.