UK FUEL PRICES · UPDATED DAILY

UK Fuel Prices (May 2026)

Current UK pump prices for petrol, diesel and LPG, with regional breakdown and price trend analysis. Data updated daily from RAC Fuel Watch and major retailer APIs.

157.8ppetrol per litre

188.2pdiesel per litre

89.5pLPG per litre

£71.14full tank (45L petrol)

Last updated: 17 May 2026. Source: RAC Fuel Watch ↗

What makes up the price at the pump?

On a typical litre of petrol costing 157.8p in May 2026, the breakdown is roughly:

Fuel duty: 52.95p (33.5%) — fixed government tax per litre
VAT: 26.3p (16.7%) — 20% charged on product + duty
Wholesale fuel: 65p (41.2%) — commodity cost + refining
Biofuel content: 8p (5.1%) — renewable content mandate
Retailer margin: 5.55p (3.5%) — forecourt profit + transport

So roughly half your money (50.2%) goes to the Treasury in taxes, while the rest covers the actual fuel and getting it to your local station.

Regional price variation

Fuel prices vary significantly across the UK. Generally, prices are highest in remote areas of Scotland and Northern Ireland due to transport costs, and lowest in areas with high competition like the South East outside London:

Highest Prices

Scottish Highlands: 165-170p
Northern Ireland rural: 163-168p
South West rural: 162-165p
Central London: 161-164p

Lowest Prices

Birmingham area: 154-157p
Manchester area: 155-158p
South East (ex-London): 156-159p
M25 corridors: 157-160p

Recent price movements

UK fuel prices have been on an upward trend since early 2026, driven by:

Middle East tensions: The Iran-Israel conflict has added a ~$15 'risk premium' to oil prices
Refinery capacity: European refinery closures have tightened diesel supply
Exchange rates: Sterling weakness against the dollar increases import costs
Seasonal demand: Summer driving season typically increases demand

Prices have risen around 25p per litre for petrol and 50p for diesel since January 2026. The upcoming fuel duty increases in September, December and March ↗ will add another 6p per litre by spring 2027.

Finding the cheapest fuel near you

Several apps and websites track live fuel prices to help you find the cheapest options:

PetrolPrices.com ↗ — comprehensive price database with postcode search
Waze app — crowdsourced prices from drivers, integrated with navigation
AA Fuel Price Checker — covers most major forecourts
Supermarket apps — Tesco, ASDA, Sainsbury's often offer competitive prices

Generally, supermarket forecourts and major chains like Costco offer the best value. Motorway services are typically 10-15p per litre more expensive than local stations.