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# UK Fuel Prices: Diesel Hits a Record 200.04p, Weekly Petrol and Diesel Tracker
- URL: https://www.kaeltripton.com/uk-fuel-prices-petrol-diesel-tracker-2026/
- Published: 2026-10-30T10:26:05.000Z
- Updated: 2026-11-11T08:48:00.000Z
- Description: UK pump prices from the official DESNZ weekly series: petrol 174.07p and diesel 199.22p a litre on 26 October 2026. Diesel reached a record 200.04p on 12 October, above the July 2022 peak. Charts, weekly tables and the tax in each litre.
- Author: Chandraketu Tripathi
- Tags: News

FUEL PRICESUpdated 30 October 2026

The UK average pump price was 174.07p a litre for petrol and 199.22p for diesel on 26 October 2026, according to weekly DESNZ figures. Diesel reached a record 200.04p on 12 October 2026, above the July 2022 peak of 199.22p. Fuel duty stays at 52.95p a litre until 1 July 2027.

TL;DR · LAST REVIEWED 30 OCTOBER 2026

- Petrol 174.07p and diesel 199.22p a litre on 26 October 2026 (DESNZ weekly series).
- Diesel record: 200.04p on 12 October 2026, beating 199.22p in July 2022\. The petrol record is still 191.55p (July 2022).
- A year earlier: petrol 134.4p and diesel 142.38p. Up 39.67p and 56.84p.
- Filling 55 litres now costs £95.74 for petrol and £109.57 for diesel.
- Fuel duty: 52.95p a litre, with the 5p cut extended to 1 July 2027 in Budget 2026.

UK average pump prices at a glance (pence per litre)

| Measure                          | Petrol           | Diesel           |
| -------------------------------- | ---------------- | ---------------- |
| 26 October 2026 (latest)         | 174.07p          | 199.22p          |
| 12 October 2026                  | 175.28p          | 200.04p (record) |
| 9 February 2026 (2026 low)       | 131.46p          | 140.72p          |
| 27 October 2025 (a year earlier) | 134.4p           | 142.38p          |
| 4 July 2022 (previous peak)      | 191.55p (record) | 199.22p          |
| Average, October 2026            | 174.7p           | 199.5p           |

Source: [DESNZ, Weekly road fuel prices](https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/weekly-road-fuel-prices?ref=kaeltripton.com)

KEY FACTS

- Petrol 174.07p and diesel 199.22p a litre on 26 October 2026 ([DESNZ](https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/weekly-road-fuel-prices?ref=kaeltripton.com)).
- Diesel record: 200.04p a litre on 12 October 2026 ([DESNZ](https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/weekly-road-fuel-prices?ref=kaeltripton.com)).
- Petrol record: 191.55p a litre on 4 July 2022 ([DESNZ](https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/weekly-road-fuel-prices?ref=kaeltripton.com)).
- Fuel duty 52.95p a litre; 5p cut and freeze extended to 1 July 2027 ([Budget 2026](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/budget-2026-document/budget-2026-html?ref=kaeltripton.com)).
- Tax makes up 47.1% of the average petrol price and 43.2% of the diesel price (DESNZ figures, Kael Tripton calculation).

## Latest UK petrol and diesel prices

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) publishes UK average pump prices for unleaded petrol and diesel every week on GOV.UK. Each figure is the price for a Monday; the latest, for Monday 26 October 2026, was published on 27 October 2026.

On 26 October 2026 the UK average was 174.07p a litre for petrol and 199.22p a litre for diesel. A week earlier, on 19 October 2026, the figures were 174.57p for petrol and 199.33p for diesel, so both fell slightly. Prices have eased for two weeks in a row since 12 October 2026, when petrol was 175.28p and diesel 200.04p.

Over the four weeks of October 2026, petrol averaged 174.7p and diesel 199.5p a litre.

## Diesel sets a record of 200.04p a litre

On 12 October 2026 the UK average diesel price reached 200.04p a litre. This was the highest figure in the DESNZ weekly series, which starts in 2018\. The previous diesel high was 199.22p a litre on 4 July 2022.

Diesel stayed above 199p for four consecutive weeks in October 2026\. The price was 199.52p on 5 October, 200.04p on 12 October, 199.33p on 19 October and 199.22p on 26 October.

Petrol has not set a new record. Its high remains 191.55p a litre on 4 July 2022, which is 17.48p above the 26 October 2026 price. In July 2022 diesel cost 7.67p a litre more than petrol; on 26 October 2026 the gap was 25.15p.

UK average pump prices, weekly, January 2018 to 26 October 2026Weekly petrol and diesel prices in pence per litre. Both peaked in July 2022 at 191.55p and 199.22p, fell to 131.46p and 140.72p in February 2026, then rose; diesel set a record 200.04p on 12 October 2026.100130160190220201820192020202120222023202420252026199.22p Jul 2022200.04ppence per litreDieselPetrol

UK average pump prices, weekly, January 2018 to 26 October 2026\. Source: [DESNZ, Weekly road fuel prices (CSV, 2018 to 2026)](https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/weekly-road-fuel-prices?ref=kaeltripton.com).

## How prices have moved over the past year

On 27 October 2025 the UK average was 134.4p a litre for petrol and 142.38p for diesel. Twelve months later petrol is up 39.67p a litre, or 29.5%, and diesel is up 56.84p, or 39.9%.

Prices fell over the winter. The 2026 low was on 9 February 2026, at 131.46p for petrol and 140.72p for diesel. From March 2026 prices rose quickly. By 13 April 2026 petrol was 158.17p and diesel 192.14p.

Both fuels eased in June and July 2026 and then rose again from August 2026\. Monthly averages went from 131.6p for petrol in February 2026 to 174.7p in October 2026, and from 141.1p to 199.5p for diesel.

Average pump price by month, October 2025 to October 2026Monthly averages of the weekly series. Petrol: Oct 25 134.7p, Nov 25 135.0p, Dec 25 136.3p, Jan 26 133.2p, Feb 26 131.6p, Mar 26 140.2p, Apr 26 156.9p, May 26 157.4p, Jun 26 155.3p, Jul 26 152.2p, Aug 26 161.4p, Sep 26 169.5p, Oct 26 174.7p. Diesel: Oct 25 142.8p, Nov 25 143.8p, Dec 25 145.7p, Jan 26 142.5p, Feb 26 141.1p, Mar 26 158.7p, Apr 26 190.0p, May 26 187.1p, Jun 26 176.4p, Jul 26 167.6p, Aug 26 182.0p, Sep 26 192.5p, Oct 26 199.5p.100130160190220Oct 25Nov 25Dec 25Jan 26Feb 26Mar 26Apr 26May 26Jun 26Jul 26Aug 26Sep 26Oct 26pence per litreDieselPetrol

Average pump price by month, October 2025 to October 2026\. Source: [DESNZ weekly road fuel prices, averages calculated by Kael Tripton](https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/weekly-road-fuel-prices?ref=kaeltripton.com). October 2026 covers the four weeks to 26 October.

## Fuel prices by year since 2018

Averaging the weekly figures gives a yearly price for each fuel. The lowest yearly average in the series was in 2020: 114.1p a litre for petrol and 119.5p for diesel. The highest full year was 2022, at 164.6p for petrol and 177.8p for diesel.

Prices then fell each year to 2025, when petrol averaged 135.0p and diesel 142.7p. For 2026, to 26 October, the averages are 153.2p for petrol and 173.7p for diesel.

Average pump price by year, 2018 to 2026Annual averages of the weekly series. Petrol: 2018 125.0p, 2019 125.0p, 2020 114.1p, 2021 131.4p, 2022 164.6p, 2023 147.7p, 2024 141.5p, 2025 135.0p, 2026 153.2p. Diesel: 2018 130.0p, 2019 131.7p, 2020 119.5p, 2021 135.0p, 2022 177.8p, 2023 158.1p, 2024 148.4p, 2025 142.7p, 2026 173.7p.100120140160180125130201812513220191141202020131135202116517820221481582023142148202413514320251531742026pence per litreDieselPetrol

Average pump price by year, 2018 to 2026\. Source: [DESNZ weekly road fuel prices, averages calculated by Kael Tripton](https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/weekly-road-fuel-prices?ref=kaeltripton.com). 2026 covers the weeks to 26 October.

## What a tank of fuel costs now

At the 26 October 2026 average, 55 litres of petrol cost £95.74 and 55 litres of diesel cost £109.57\. On 27 October 2025 the same 55 litres cost £73.92 for petrol and £78.31 for diesel. That is £21.82 more for petrol and £31.26 more for diesel per 55 litres.

55 litres is used here as an example volume. Tank sizes differ by vehicle, so the cost of filling a tank varies with the vehicle concerned.

Prices at individual forecourts differ from the national average. The national average is a single UK figure.

__Cost of 55 litres at the national average price__
| Fuel   | 27 October 2025 | 26 October 2026 | Change  |
| ------ | --------------- | --------------- | ------- |
| Petrol | £73.92          | £95.74          | +£21.82 |
| Diesel | £78.31          | £109.57         | +£31.26 |

Source: [DESNZ weekly road fuel prices; cost calculated by Kael Tripton](https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/weekly-road-fuel-prices?ref=kaeltripton.com)

## How much of a litre is tax

Two taxes apply to road fuel: fuel duty, which is a fixed amount per litre, and VAT at 20%. Fuel duty on petrol and diesel is 52.95p a litre. VAT is charged on the price including duty, so it equals one sixth of the pump price. On a 174.07p litre of petrol, VAT is 29.01p. On a 199.22p litre of diesel, VAT is 33.20p.

Together, duty and VAT make up 47.1% of the average petrol price and 43.2% of the average diesel price. The remaining 92.11p for petrol and 113.07p for diesel covers the fuel itself, refining, distribution and the retailer's margin.

Because duty is fixed per litre, it makes up a smaller share of the price when pump prices are high.

__What makes up a litre at the 26 October 2026 average price__
| Element                                        | Petrol  | Diesel  |
| ---------------------------------------------- | ------- | ------- |
| Pump price                                     | 174.07p | 199.22p |
| Fuel duty                                      | 52.95p  | 52.95p  |
| VAT at 20% (one sixth of the pump price)       | 29.01p  | 33.20p  |
| Fuel, refining, distribution and retail margin | 92.11p  | 113.07p |
| Tax share of the pump price                    | 47.1%   | 43.2%   |

Source: [DESNZ weekly road fuel prices (pump price and duty columns); VAT and remainder calculated by Kael Tripton](https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/weekly-road-fuel-prices?ref=kaeltripton.com)

## Fuel duty and Budget 2026

The DESNZ series shows fuel duty at 57.95p a litre until the week of 21 March 2022 and at 52.95p from the week of 28 March 2022, a 5p cut. Budget 2026, published by HM Treasury on 28 October 2026, extends the 5p per litre fuel duty cut and the freeze to 1 July 2027.

The Treasury's policy costings put the cost of the extension at £575 million in 2026-27 and £780 million in 2027-28\. Budget 2026 also confirms that Electric Vehicle Excise Duty, a mileage-based charge for electric and plug-in hybrid cars, starts in April 2028.

__Fuel duty on petrol and diesel__
| Period                         | Rate per litre             | Source            |
| ------------------------------ | -------------------------- | ----------------- |
| To the week of 21 March 2022   | 57.95p                     | DESNZ duty column |
| From the week of 28 March 2022 | 52.95p (5p cut)            | DESNZ duty column |
| 26 October 2026                | 52.95p                     | DESNZ duty column |
| To 1 July 2027                 | 5p cut and freeze extended | Budget 2026       |

Source: [DESNZ weekly road fuel prices and HM Treasury, Budget 2026](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/budget-2026-document/budget-2026-html?ref=kaeltripton.com)

## Why diesel costs more than petrol

Petrol and diesel carry the same duty rate of 52.95p a litre and the same 20% VAT rate, so the price gap comes from the cost of the fuel and margins. On 27 October 2025 diesel cost 7.98p a litre more than petrol.

The gap widened to 33.97p on 13 April 2026, the widest in the series, when diesel was 192.14p and petrol 158.17p. On 26 October 2026 diesel cost 25.15p a litre more than petrol.

Because VAT is a percentage, a wider pre-tax gap also means more VAT on each litre of diesel.

## Weekly prices for 2026

The table below lists the DESNZ UK average for every Monday in 2026 up to 26 October 2026, with the newest week first. The diesel premium column is diesel minus petrol for the same week.

The 2026 low for both fuels was 9 February 2026 and the diesel high was 12 October 2026\. The full series back to 2003 is available as CSV and spreadsheet downloads on GOV.UK.

__UK average pump prices, every week of 2026 (pence per litre, prices for each Monday)__
| Week of     | Petrol  | Diesel  | Diesel premium |
| ----------- | ------- | ------- | -------------- |
| 26 Oct 2026 | 174.07p | 199.22p | 25.15p         |
| 19 Oct 2026 | 174.57p | 199.33p | 24.76p         |
| 12 Oct 2026 | 175.28p | 200.04p | 24.76p         |
| 5 Oct 2026  | 174.88p | 199.52p | 24.64p         |
| 28 Sep 2026 | 173.46p | 197.58p | 24.12p         |
| 21 Sep 2026 | 172.01p | 195.53p | 23.52p         |
| 14 Sep 2026 | 168.14p | 190.72p | 22.58p         |
| 7 Sep 2026  | 164.40p | 186.36p | 21.96p         |
| 31 Aug 2026 | 161.61p | 183.49p | 21.88p         |
| 24 Aug 2026 | 161.63p | 182.82p | 21.19p         |
| 17 Aug 2026 | 161.80p | 182.45p | 20.65p         |
| 10 Aug 2026 | 162.15p | 181.97p | 19.82p         |
| 3 Aug 2026  | 159.89p | 179.19p | 19.30p         |
| 27 Jul 2026 | 156.13p | 173.97p | 17.84p         |
| 20 Jul 2026 | 152.29p | 167.08p | 14.79p         |
| 13 Jul 2026 | 150.53p | 164.52p | 13.99p         |
| 6 Jul 2026  | 149.80p | 164.77p | 14.97p         |
| 29 Jun 2026 | 151.02p | 167.12p | 16.10p         |
| 22 Jun 2026 | 153.26p | 172.47p | 19.21p         |
| 15 Jun 2026 | 155.54p | 176.71p | 21.17p         |
| 8 Jun 2026  | 157.95p | 181.79p | 23.84p         |
| 1 Jun 2026  | 158.74p | 184.11p | 25.37p         |
| 25 May 2026 | 158.78p | 185.07p | 26.29p         |
| 18 May 2026 | 157.39p | 186.56p | 29.17p         |
| 11 May 2026 | 156.81p | 188.14p | 31.33p         |
| 4 May 2026  | 156.82p | 188.79p | 31.97p         |
| 27 Apr 2026 | 156.99p | 189.81p | 32.82p         |
| 20 Apr 2026 | 157.62p | 191.24p | 33.62p         |
| 13 Apr 2026 | 158.17p | 192.14p | 33.97p         |
| 6 Apr 2026  | 154.65p | 186.75p | 32.10p         |
| 30 Mar 2026 | 148.78p | 176.52p | 27.74p         |
| 23 Mar 2026 | 144.16p | 166.88p | 22.72p         |
| 16 Mar 2026 | 140.28p | 158.78p | 18.50p         |
| 9 Mar 2026  | 135.67p | 149.01p | 13.34p         |
| 2 Mar 2026  | 132.14p | 142.15p | 10.01p         |
| 23 Feb 2026 | 131.71p | 141.46p | 9.75p          |
| 16 Feb 2026 | 131.60p | 141.46p | 9.86p          |
| 9 Feb 2026  | 131.46p | 140.72p | 9.26p          |
| 2 Feb 2026  | 131.62p | 140.82p | 9.20p          |
| 26 Jan 2026 | 132.00p | 141.26p | 9.26p          |
| 19 Jan 2026 | 132.64p | 141.82p | 9.18p          |
| 12 Jan 2026 | 133.43p | 142.63p | 9.20p          |
| 5 Jan 2026  | 134.90p | 144.19p | 9.29p          |

Source: [DESNZ, Weekly road fuel prices (updated 27 October 2026)](https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/weekly-road-fuel-prices?ref=kaeltripton.com)

## About these figures

All prices on this page come from the DESNZ weekly road fuel prices statistics on GOV.UK. The series covers ultra low sulphur unleaded petrol and ultra low sulphur diesel and is published in pence per litre, with the duty rate and VAT rate for each week.

Yearly and monthly averages, the tax split and the cost of 55 litres are calculated by Kael Tripton from the published weekly figures. Prices are national averages; individual forecourts, supermarkets and motorway services charge different prices.

This page is updated as new weekly figures are published.

RELATED GUIDES

- [UK petrol prices over summer 2026](https://www.kaeltripton.com/latest/uk-petrol-prices-falling/)
- [Fuel cards for small businesses](https://www.kaeltripton.com/fuel-cards-for-small-business-uk/)
- [Budget 2026: key measures](https://www.kaeltripton.com/uk-budget-2026-key-changes/)

More on this topic

- [UK Pump Prices: Record 43-Day Rise Finally Stalls as Oil Plunges, What It Means for Drivers and Households](https://www.kaeltripton.com/uk-petrol-diesel-prices-record-rises-april-2026/)
- [Petrol Hits 156.13p as Fuel Costs Climb Into the Holidays](https://www.kaeltripton.com/latest/petrol-diesel-prices-rise-summer-holidays/)

DISCLAIMER

This article is editorial information, not financial advice. Kael Tripton Ltd is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Figures were correct at the last review date shown above; verify current rates and rules with the primary sources listed below before acting.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the average price of petrol in the UK?

The average price of petrol in the UK was 174.07p a litre on 26 October 2026, according to the DESNZ weekly road fuel prices statistics. The record price for petrol was 191.55p on 4 July 2022.

### What is the average price of diesel in the UK?

The average price of diesel in the UK was 199.22p a litre on 26 October 2026, according to DESNZ. Diesel reached a record 200.04p on 12 October 2026, which was above the 199.22p peak of 4 July 2022.

### How much is fuel duty per litre?

Fuel duty is 52.95p a litre on petrol and diesel, plus VAT at 20%. Budget 2026 extends the 5p cut and freeze to 1 July 2027.

### How much have fuel prices risen in the last year?

Between 27 October 2025 and 26 October 2026, petrol rose by 39.67p a litre, or 29.5%, and diesel by 56.84p, or 39.9%, on DESNZ figures.

### How often are UK fuel prices published?

DESNZ publishes average pump prices every week on GOV.UK, giving the price for each Monday. The figures for 26 October 2026 were published on 27 October 2026.

SOURCES

- [DESNZ: Weekly road fuel prices (GOV.UK), updated 27 October 2026](https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/weekly-road-fuel-prices?ref=kaeltripton.com), accessed 30 October 2026
- [DESNZ: Weekly road fuel prices, CSV 2018 to 2026](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6adf6252d798ae11e9bc5d07/CSV%5F%5F2018%5F-%5F%5F.csv?ref=kaeltripton.com), accessed 30 October 2026
- [DESNZ: Weekly road fuel prices, spreadsheet to 26 October 2026](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6adf62469223b6191dab33f0/Weekly%5FFuel%5FPrices%5F26-10-26.xlsx?ref=kaeltripton.com), accessed 30 October 2026
- [HM Treasury: Budget 2026, published 28 October 2026](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/budget-2026-document/budget-2026-html?ref=kaeltripton.com), accessed 30 October 2026
- [HM Treasury: Budget 2026 policy costings (PDF)](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6ae1883fe4367e5c8b0467df/AB26%5FPolicy%5FCosting.pdf?ref=kaeltripton.com), accessed 30 October 2026