UK Fuel Price Update: Prices Stabilise at Near-Record Levels

8 October 2026 — UK petrol and diesel prices are showing early signs of stabilising after a sharp rise over the past month. Diesel remains close to £2 per litre, while petrol is averaging around 175p per litre. At the same time, a major change is making it easier for drivers to compare prices: near real-time petrol and diesel prices are now available directly through Google Maps across the UK.

UK fuel prices remain extremely high

After several weeks of steep increases, the UK fuel market appears to be entering a more stable phase.

The latest data from the UK Government's Fuel Finder scheme puts the national average for E10 petrol at around 174.8p per litre, while diesel is averaging around 200.0p per litre.

Compared with the beginning of September, however, prices remain significantly higher.

Over the past 30 days:

• E10 petrol is up by around 7.9p per litre.
• Diesel is up by around 11.6p per litre.

The latest daily figures therefore suggest that the rapid increase may have paused, but there is still no return to normal price levels.

Today's UK fuel prices

The latest UK-wide figures available on Thursday 8 October are:

The figures are based on thousands of UK forecourts reporting prices through the Government's Fuel Finder system. Individual stations can, of course, be considerably cheaper or more expensive than the national average.

Diesel remains close to £2 per litre

Diesel remains the biggest concern for UK motorists.

The national average reached £2 per litre earlier this month, a historic milestone for UK pump prices.

Today's average of around 200.0p per litre means that a 50-litre diesel tank costs approximately:

£100

That is a substantial increase compared with the beginning of September, when the average was around 188.4p per litre.

The latest figures therefore suggest that diesel prices have stopped climbing rapidly, but the increase seen over the past month has not yet been reversed.

Petrol is also significantly more expensive

E10 petrol is currently averaging around 174.8p per litre.

A 50-litre petrol fill-up therefore costs approximately:

£87.40

Thirty days ago, the average was around 166.9p per litre.

That represents an increase of almost £4 on a 50-litre tank over the month.

The gap between petrol and diesel is also substantial.

At today's averages, filling a 50-litre tank with diesel costs approximately £12.60 more than filling the same tank with E10 petrol.

How much does it cost to fill up?

The current national averages translate into the following approximate costs:

These figures are based on a 50-litre tank and national averages. Actual costs will depend on the vehicle, tank capacity and station selected.

For drivers filling up regularly, the choice of forecourt can therefore make a meaningful difference.

Petrol prices are now available on Google Maps

There is another important development for UK motorists today.

From Thursday 8 October, Google Maps is displaying near real-time petrol and diesel prices at UK fuel stations for the first time.

The information comes from the Government's Fuel Finder scheme, which now covers around 99% of fuel sold on UK roads.

Drivers can search for nearby petrol stations in Google Maps and see their reported fuel prices, making it easier to compare forecourts before filling up.

The government estimates that shopping around could save an average household with a car around £40 per year.

For drivers already comparing prices, the new integration should make that process considerably easier.

There are still significant differences between forecourts

The national average only tells part of the story.

Today's data shows clear differences between major retailers.

For example, average E10 prices are currently considerably lower at some supermarket and warehouse retailers than at several major oil brands.

The latest UK-wide figures show examples such as:

• Costco: around 166.9p/L
• Sainsbury's: around 172.8p/L
• Tesco: around 173.3p/L
• Asda: around 173.4p/L
• Morrisons: around 173.6p/L
• Shell: around 176.6p/L
• BP: around 177.0p/L

These are national retailer averages and not prices available at every individual station.

The difference between 167p and 177p per litre is already £5 on a 50-litre tank.

That makes price comparison particularly valuable while fuel remains expensive.

Why are prices still so high?

The UK remains exposed to the same international energy pressures affecting other European markets.

The price of crude oil has risen again today as concerns over supply disruptions in the Middle East intensify.

Brent crude was trading around $105 per barrel, with attacks on shipping in the Gulf and Strait of Hormuz increasing concerns about global oil supplies.

The UK is particularly sensitive to diesel prices because it relies on international markets for a significant proportion of its diesel supply.

The result is that even if crude oil prices temporarily stabilise, wholesale diesel prices can remain under pressure.

The UK is not seeing a nationwide fuel shortage

Unlike some parts of France, there is currently no indication of a comparable nationwide disruption to forecourt availability across the UK.

The main issue for British drivers remains price rather than access to fuel.

However, the international supply situation remains fragile, particularly for diesel.

Any further disruption to shipping routes, refining capacity or international diesel supplies could therefore put renewed pressure on UK pump prices.

Will UK fuel prices fall soon?

There are some reasons for cautious optimism.

The latest seven-day figures show almost no movement:

Petrol: 174.8p/L — unchanged over seven days
Diesel: 200.0p/L — down 0.1p over seven days

This suggests that the sharp acceleration seen during September has at least temporarily stopped.

However, the 30-day figures tell a different story:

Petrol: +7.9p/L
Diesel: +11.6p/L

It is therefore too early to describe the current situation as a sustained fall in fuel prices.

For now, the most accurate description is stabilisation at very high levels.