UK petrol and diesel price history
In the week of 12 October 2026, diesel averaged 200.0p a litre, the highest since weekly government records began in 2003, beating 199.2p in July 2022. Petrol averaged 175.3p, 16.3p below its record of 191.6p in the week of 4 July 2022. These are the government's weekly UK averages, published every Tuesday.
Year-by-year figures are in the table below, and every week is in the CSV download.
The last 12 months
Diesel has gone from 143.0p to 200.0p a litre since 13 October 2025, and petrol from 134.8p to 175.3p. A 50-litre tank of diesel costs £28.52 more than it did a year ago.
Then and now
| Week of | Petrol | Diesel | 50 litres of petrol |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 October 2026 (latest) | 175.3p | 200.0p | £87.64 |
| 13 October 2025 A year ago | 134.8p | 143.0p | £67.41 |
| 11 October 2021 5 years ago | 137.2p | 140.7p | £68.58 |
| 10 October 2016 10 years ago | 112.3p | 114.4p | £56.17 |
| 9 October 2006 20 years ago | 86.6p | 91.7p | £43.30 |
How much of the price is tax?
Fuel duty is a fixed 52.95p a litre and VAT is 20% of the whole price, duty included. Of the latest averages:
| Price | Fuel duty | VAT | Total tax | Share | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 175.3p | 52.95p | 29.2p | 82.2p | 47% |
| Diesel | 200.0p | 52.95p | 33.3p | 86.3p | 43% |
More in what makes up the price of petrol and the Budget 2026 fuel duty tracker.
Year by year
Average and highest weekly price each calendar year, with the duty and VAT in force at the end of the year.
| Year | Petrol average | Petrol high | Diesel average | Diesel high | Duty | VAT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 to 12 October | 152.1p | 175.3p | 172.4p | 200.0p | 52.95p | 20% |
| 2025 | 135.0p | 139.6p | 142.7p | 146.9p | 52.95p | 20% |
| 2024 | 141.5p | 149.5p | 148.4p | 158.0p | 52.95p | 20% |
| 2023 | 147.7p | 156.0p | 158.1p | 174.2p | 52.95p | 20% |
| 2022 | 164.6p | 191.6p | 177.8p | 199.2p | 52.95p | 20% |
| 2021 | 131.4p | 147.5p | 135.0p | 151.3p | 57.95p | 20% |
| 2020 | 114.1p | 127.3p | 119.5p | 132.9p | 57.95p | 20% |
| 2019 | 125.0p | 129.4p | 131.7p | 136.4p | 57.95p | 20% |
| 2018 | 125.0p | 131.0p | 130.0p | 137.1p | 57.95p | 20% |
| 2017 | 117.5p | 120.2p | 120.2p | 123.8p | 57.95p | 20% |
| 2016 | 108.9p | 116.6p | 110.4p | 119.0p | 57.95p | 20% |
| 2015 | 111.0p | 116.8p | 115.0p | 121.3p | 57.95p | 20% |
| 2014 | 127.4p | 131.1p | 133.5p | 138.3p | 57.95p | 20% |
| 2013 | 134.3p | 140.0p | 140.6p | 146.7p | 57.95p | 20% |
| 2012 | 135.8p | 142.2p | 142.2p | 148.0p | 57.95p | 20% |
| 2011 | 133.4p | 137.1p | 138.8p | 143.1p | 57.95p | 20% |
| 2010 | 116.9p | 123.4p | 119.2p | 127.7p | 58.19p | 17.5% |
| 2009 | 99.6p | 108.8p | 104.2p | 110.0p | 56.19p | 15% |
| 2008 | 107.0p | 119.4p | 117.6p | 132.9p | 52.35p | 15% |
| 2007 | 94.5p | 102.7p | 97.1p | 107.6p | 50.35p | 17.5% |
| 2006 | 91.4p | 98.0p | 95.2p | 99.6p | 48.35p | 17.5% |
| 2005 | 86.8p | 95.1p | 90.8p | 97.9p | 47.10p | 17.5% |
| 2004 | 80.3p | 84.3p | 81.9p | 86.5p | 47.10p | 17.5% |
| 2003 from 9 June | 75.6p | 76.4p | 77.3p | 77.7p | 47.10p | 17.5% |
Fuel duty and VAT changes since 2003
Each change is dated by the first weekly figure that shows it.
- 6 October 2003: fuel duty rises from 45.82p to 47.10p a litre.
- 11 December 2006: fuel duty rises from 47.10p to 48.35p a litre.
- 1 October 2007: fuel duty rises from 48.35p to 50.35p a litre.
- 1 December 2008: fuel duty rises from 50.35p to 52.35p a litre.
- 1 December 2008: VAT falls from 17.5% to 15%.
- 6 April 2009: fuel duty rises from 52.35p to 54.19p a litre.
- 7 September 2009: fuel duty rises from 54.19p to 56.19p a litre.
- 4 January 2010: VAT rises from 15% to 17.5%.
- 5 April 2010: fuel duty rises from 56.19p to 57.19p a litre.
- 4 October 2010: fuel duty rises from 57.19p to 58.19p a litre.
- 3 January 2011: fuel duty rises from 58.19p to 58.95p a litre.
- 10 January 2011: VAT rises from 17.5% to 20%.
- 28 March 2011: fuel duty falls from 58.95p to 57.95p a litre.
- 28 March 2022: fuel duty falls from 57.95p to 52.95p a litre.
Questions about UK fuel price history
When was petrol most expensive in the UK?
In the week of 4 July 2022, when it averaged 191.6p a litre in the government's weekly figures. The latest figure is 175.3p.
What is the highest UK diesel price on record?
200.0p a litre, in the week of 12 October 2026. Before 2026 the record was 199.2p, in the week of 4 July 2022.
How much was petrol a year ago?
In the week of 13 October 2025 petrol averaged 134.8p and diesel 143.0p. Filling a 50-litre diesel tank cost £71.50 then, against £100.02 now.
How much of the price of petrol is tax?
82.2p of the 175.3p average: 52.95p fuel duty plus 29.2p VAT at 20%. That's 47% of the price, down from 76% in 2003, because duty is a fixed amount per litre while the rest of the price has risen.
Where do these figures come from?
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero publishes UK average pump prices every week, measured each Monday. They go back to June 2003. Our live prices come from a different source, the Fuel Finder scheme, where every forecourt reports its own prices, so our UK average can differ from this series by a penny or so.
Sources
- Department for Energy Security and Net Zero: Weekly road fuel prices. UK average pump prices for ultra-low sulphur unleaded petrol and diesel, with duty and VAT rates, every week since 9 June 2003. Open Government Licence v3.0.