UK petrol and diesel prices: what drivers are paying now

Petrol is averaging 161.6p a litre across 7,815 UK forecourts, while diesel has reached 181.9p, meaning diesel drivers are paying around 20p more per litre than those filling up with standard unleaded. The figures come from official UK government fuel price data, which is updated throughout the day.

For most drivers, those numbers translate into a noticeable difference at the pump. Filling a typical 55-litre family car with standard E10 unleaded costs roughly £88.88, while the same fill of diesel would come to around £100.05. If you run a car that takes premium E5 unleaded, expect to pay 178.9p a litre, or about £98.40 for the same size tank.

The 20.3p-a-litre gap between diesel and standard petrol is worth bearing in mind if you are considering a used diesel purchase. Diesel cars often return better miles per gallon on longer runs, but with fuel costing this much more per litre, the savings depend heavily on how far and how often you drive. Anyone doing mostly short urban trips is unlikely to see the fuel-economy advantage offset the higher price at the pump.

Keeping your car properly serviced is one of the most straightforward ways to make sure it is using fuel as efficiently as it should. A poorly tuned engine, a dirty air filter or underinflated tyres can all push consumption up noticeably. If your car has not been looked at for a while, Garage.co.uk lets you find a trusted independent garage nearby and book it directly for an MOT, a service or a repair, with no fees or commission involved.