Fuel Finder UK: the government fuel price scheme explained
Fuel Finder is a government scheme that requires petrol stations across the UK to report their pump prices. Since 2 February 2026, forecourts have had to report any price change within 30 minutes. The government then publishes the data openly, so websites and apps like ours can show drivers what every station is charging. Our prices come from Fuel Finder, and we currently show 7,555 reporting forecourts.
Is there an official Fuel Finder app?
No. Fuel Finder is a data scheme, not an app or a map you visit. The government collects every forecourt's prices and publishes them openly, and apps, Google Maps and comparison sites like ours show them to drivers. To check prices near you, enter your postcode on our fuel price checker.
What is the Fuel Finder scheme?
Fuel Finder is run by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. It was set up under the Motor Fuel Price (Open Data) Regulations 2025, made under the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025. Its aim is to make prices easy to compare, so drivers can find cheaper fuel and retailers face more competition.
The scheme grew out of a recommendation from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). In its 2023 study of the road fuel market, the CMA found that competition between retailers had weakened and recommended that the government legislate for a fuel finder scheme that would make it compulsory for retailers to share their prices in real time. Before the legal scheme started, the CMA ran a temporary voluntary arrangement in which a number of retailers published their prices.
Which petrol stations have to report their prices?
Under government guidance, anyone who sells petrol or diesel to the public must register and report their prices. That includes:
- petrol stations of any size in the UK
- chains and franchise operators
- unmanned or automated stations
- garages and other businesses that sell fuel alongside other services
Operators with several sites must register each one. Businesses that only sell fuel to other businesses, and sales of red diesel for agricultural use, are not covered.
How do prices get from the forecourt to this site?
- The station changes its price. It then has 30 minutes to report the new price for each grade it changed.
- The station reports it. Retailers can report through an online portal, a direct computer link (an API), a text message or a phone line.
- The government publishes the data. Prices are made available through a public API and as a downloadable file that is updated twice a day, under the Open Government Licence.
- We collect it. We take the published data twice a day, check it and show it on this site. The prices you see were last refreshed at 17:30 on 16 Oct.
Who makes sure stations report their prices?
The CMA enforces the rules. It began prioritising enforcement action against retailers that fail to comply from 1 May 2026, and it has powers that can include financial penalties.
Why might a price be out of date?
Most prices are accurate, but a few things can make one wrong:
- Timing. We refresh our prices twice a day. If a station changes its price between our updates, you may see the old price until the next refresh.
- Late reports. A station may report a change late, or forget to report it.
- Mistakes. A price can be typed in wrongly. The government's reporting system warns retailers about unusual figures, but it can't catch every error.
- A grade has run out. A station may have sold out of a fuel without changing its listing, or may be temporarily closed.
To reduce the risk, we leave out prices that haven't been updated for 30 days or that fall outside a sensible range, and we show the date on any price that is more than three days old. The pump price is always the one you pay, so check it before you fill up. If a price shown on a Fuel Finder-based site doesn't match the pump, the government runs an online service on gov.uk for reporting incorrect prices.
Is the Fuel Finder data free to use?
Yes. The data is published under the Open Government Licence, so anyone can use it, including developers, mapping services and comparison sites like ours. That is why you can now see the same forecourt prices across several apps and websites.
Use the data to save money
The scheme only helps if drivers use it. Search by postcode to see every reporting forecourt near you, sorted by price, distance or best value.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Fuel Finder guidance
- The Motor Fuel Price (Open Data) Regulations 2025
- GOV.UK: Access the latest fuel prices and forecourt data
- GOV.UK: Fuel Finder for drivers factsheet
- Live prices: the UK government's Fuel Finder scheme, via Cheapest Fuel. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.