UK Fuel Prices — Live Weekly Data

Understanding UK Fuel Price Trends

UK fuel prices have followed a dramatic trajectory since government weekly records began in 2003, with earlier annual data stretching back to 1988 when a litre of unleaded petrol cost just 36p. Over the following decades, a combination of rising global oil demand, successive fuel duty escalators, and geopolitical shocks pushed prices to levels that would have been unimaginable to drivers in the late 1980s.

The 2008 financial crisis brought severe volatility. Oil prices hit $147 a barrel in July before crashing below $40 by December, dragging pump prices on a rollercoaster ride. The UK government's fuel duty escalator continued to push prices higher through the early 2010s, with petrol breaching 134p in 2012.

A period of relative stability followed, with drivers enjoying lower prices between 2015 and 2020 as oil markets softened and the COVID-19 pandemic slashed global demand. Petrol fell below 113p in 2020 — its lowest level since 2016.

The post-pandemic recovery, compounded by Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, triggered the most severe price shock in UK motoring history. Diesel surged past 180p on an annual average basis, with daily peaks above 199p at some forecourts. The government responded with a 5p fuel duty cut, but the gap between petrol and diesel prices widened to its largest ever margin as European diesel supply tightened.

Prices eased through 2023-2025 but remained firmly above pre-pandemic levels. In early 2026, escalating tensions in the Middle East have driven a sharp upward move in crude oil prices, with diesel particularly affected — rising from around 141p in February to 166.88p by mid-March. The weekly data on this page captures these movements as they happen.