How to cut your fuel costs when pump prices are high

Where pump prices stand and what the rise has cost

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) publishes UK average pump prices every week. For the week commencing 12 October 2026, published on 13 October, unleaded petrol averaged 175.28p a litre and diesel 200.04p a litre.

That diesel figure is the highest weekly average in the DESNZ series, which starts in June 2003, narrowly above the 199.22p recorded in July 2022. Petrol is still below its record of 191.55p in the week commencing 4 July 2022, but has climbed from 161.63p in late August.

Diesel now costs about 14% more per litre than petrol. For a driver doing 10,000 miles a year, the difference between 160p and 175p is real money, so small percentage gains are worth chasing. Our fuel prices page charts the full weekly history since 2003.

Prices have climbed steadily over the past seven weeks. Petrol averaged 161.63p a litre in the week commencing 24 August 2026 and 175.28p in the week commencing 12 October, a rise of 13.65p. Diesel went from 182.82p to 200.04p, a rise of 17.22p.

On a 50-litre fill that is about £6.83 more for petrol and £8.61 more for diesel. Over 1,000 litres a year, the petrol rise alone adds £136.50 and the diesel rise £172.20. That is why habits that save a few percent now matter more than they did in the summer.

The fuel prices page shows the weekly series from DESNZ, so you can see whether prices are still rising or have started to ease.

Compare forecourts before you fill up

National averages hide a wide spread. In general, supermarket forecourts and some independent sites sit below the average, while motorway services sit well above it. The gap between the lowest-priced and highest-priced station in the same town can be several pence a litre.

A 5p a litre saving across 1,000 litres a year is £50, and on a typical 50-litre fill a 10p gap is £5. These are modest sums per tank but they accumulate, and they cost nothing in effort if the cheaper station is on your usual route.

Prices change daily, so we do not quote live station prices here. The fuel prices near me tool shows what is currently charged around a location, which is the right way to compare.

It also helps to know your tank size and how far you can safely go on what remains. A driver who fills up only when the tank is nearly empty has no choice about where to stop, while one who tops up at the lowest-priced station on the usual commute can avoid paying the premium at a motorway or rural site. Fill to a sensible level rather than carrying a full tank of extra weight all week.

• Avoid motorway services unless you have no choice.
• Check prices before you leave rather than when the warning light comes on.
• Do not drive miles out of your way: the saving must exceed the fuel used on the detour.

Driving style

Aerodynamic drag grows with the square of speed, so cruising at 80mph burns noticeably more fuel than 70mph over the same distance. On motorways, a steady speed with minimal braking is the single most effective change.

In town, anticipate traffic. Lifting off early and rolling toward a red light uses less fuel than accelerating hard and braking late. Smooth, gradual acceleration and using higher gears at low revs (without labouring the engine) help in a manual car.

Avoid idling. Switch off when stationary for any length of time, and avoid short cold-start trips where possible, since an engine uses more fuel until it warms up.

Cruise control can help on flat, quiet motorways because it holds a constant speed, but it can waste fuel on hilly roads by accelerating hard up gradients. Where traffic allows, easing off before a crest and letting the car pick up speed on the descent is gentler. Most modern cars also show live consumption on the dashboard, which is a quick way to see what a change in speed or technique actually does.

Tyre pressures, weight and drag

Under-inflated tyres have higher rolling resistance, so the engine works harder. Check pressures monthly when the tyres are cold, using the figures in the owner's handbook or on the door pillar, and adjust for load.

Weight matters too. Remove anything you do not need from the boot and back seats, as every extra kilogram takes energy to move. Roof boxes and bike racks add drag as well as weight, so take them off when not in use. Even an empty roof rack disturbs airflow at motorway speeds.

Regular servicing helps. Clean air filters, correct oil grade and working sensors keep the engine running as designed.

Tyre choice has a smaller but lasting effect. Replacement tyres with a better fuel efficiency grade on the EU label can reduce rolling resistance, and tyres worn unevenly or with wrong alignment add drag. If you notice the car pulling to one side or the steering wheel off-centre, getting the tracking checked protects both tyre life and fuel economy.

Air conditioning, windows and E10

Air conditioning draws power from the engine, so it adds some fuel use, most noticeably in slow traffic. At higher speeds open windows add drag, so closing them and using the air conditioning can be comparable. Use whichever you need rather than worrying about it, but avoid running it at full blast with the windows open.

E10 petrol, containing up to 10% bioethanol, has been the standard grade in the UK since 2021. Premium E5 super unleaded costs more per litre. Ethanol contains slightly less energy than petrol, so a small mpg difference is possible, but it is rarely enough to offset a higher pump price. Most petrol cars built since 2011 are E10 compatible, and the manufacturer's handbook confirms yours.

Diesel drivers have no equivalent choice, though premium diesels are sold at a higher price.

Plan the journey and a practical checklist

Combine errands into one trip rather than several cold starts. A warm engine is more efficient, and one longer trip uses less fuel than the same stops spread over separate outings.

Use a navigation app to avoid congestion and roadworks, where stop-start driving burns fuel. A slightly longer free-flowing route can use less fuel than a shorter congested one.

Check your actual consumption. Note the miles and litres at each fill-up and divide, then compare with what the car manages in different conditions. Official mpg figures come from laboratory tests, and real-world results are usually lower.

None of these steps is dramatic on its own. Together they can reduce the amount of fuel you buy without cutting the miles you do. The order below puts the habits with no cost first.

• Before filling up, check nearby prices and choose the station on your route.
• Check tyre pressures once a month and before long trips with a full load.
• Remove the roof box, bike rack and anything heavy that stays in the car by habit.
• Hold a steady speed on motorways and look ahead to avoid braking.
• Combine short trips so the engine reaches working temperature.
• Keep a fuel log for two months to find your real mpg.
• Book a service if the mpg drops suddenly, as a fault can be the cause.
• When choosing your next car, compare official mpg or electric efficiency as well as the rental.

What the car's official mpg is worth, and petrol versus diesel

The largest long-term lever is the car itself. Take 10,000 miles a year at the petrol average of 175.28p a litre. A car doing 40mpg uses about 1,137 litres and costs around £1,992. A car doing 55mpg uses about 827 litres and costs around £1,449.

That is a difference of about £543 a year, or roughly £2,170 over a four year lease, before any change in pump prices. For diesel at 200.04p a litre, a car doing 45mpg costs about £2,021 for 10,000 miles, against £1,653 at 55mpg, a gap of £368.

Official mpg is a lab figure, so use it to compare cars rather than to predict your bill. The fuel cost calculator lets you enter your own mileage, mpg and prices, and compare petrol, diesel and electric.

Diesel cars generally do more miles per litre than similar petrol cars, so a higher pump price does not automatically mean a higher bill. At 10,000 miles a year, a diesel car at 55mpg costs about £1,653 at 200.04p a litre. A petrol car at 45mpg costs about £1,753 at 175.28p. A petrol car at 55mpg would cost about £1,449.

The comparison turns on the actual mpg of the two cars you are weighing, not the fuel alone. Diesel also carries a higher company car tax rate if the car does not meet RDE2, and a higher first-year VED rate in some bands, so tax can offset a fuel advantage.

Use your real mileage and real mpg in the fuel cost calculator rather than rules of thumb, particularly for short urban trips where diesel particulate filters can be a problem.