Archive · 29 Sep 2026
UK Diesel Price Reaches Record £1.99 Amid Fuel Duty Rises
Diesel has become more expensive than ever before in the UK.
A litre now costs almost £2.
Filling a normal family diesel car costs nearly £110.
Petrol has also become more expensive, with a typical fill-up costing almost £96.
Oil costs more than $100 a barrel, and there are concerns that not enough diesel is available.
The UK imports a lot of diesel, so international supply problems affect prices there.
Fuel duty, a government charge on fuel, is also being increased gradually.
The RAC wants the government to delay further increases because drivers and businesses are under financial pressure.
Average UK diesel prices reached a record 199.18p a litre, narrowly exceeding the June 2022 high.
Filling an average family diesel car now costs almost £110, about £31 more than before the reported US-Iran conflict.
Petrol prices also rose to an average of 174.13p a litre, making a typical fill-up nearly £96.
Higher oil prices and concerns about disrupted global refined-diesel supplies are driving the increase.
Fuel duty is being restored in stages through March 2027, prompting the RAC to call for the current rate to be maintained longer.
- Who
- UK motorists, businesses and consumers are affected; the RAC is calling for fuel-duty relief.
- What
- Average diesel prices reached a record 199.18p a litre, while petrol reached 174.13p a litre.
- When
- The record was reported during the 2026-27 fuel-duty timetable, with further duty increases planned for December 1 and March 1, 2027.
- Where
- The United Kingdom.
- Why
- Higher oil prices, pressure on global refined-diesel supplies and the staged restoration of fuel duty have pushed prices higher.
Calls for further driver support
Fuel-duty restoration continues
Whether to delay fuel-duty increases
Calls for further driver support
The RAC says fuel duty should remain at its current level for longer because motorists are already facing substantial fuel-cost increases.
Fuel-duty restoration continues
The government is restoring the temporary 5p-per-litre fuel-duty cut in stages through March 2027 under the current timetable.
Impact of record prices
Calls for further driver support
The RAC warns that higher diesel costs will affect motorists, businesses and consumers because diesel is widely used by lorries, vans and other commercial vehicles.
Fuel-duty restoration continues
The reported fuel-duty timetable continues despite the price rise; the articles do not state a separate government response to the RAC's call.
- Record diesel price
- 199.18p per litre
- Previous diesel record
- 199.09p per litre in June 2022
- Diesel price increase
- 56.8p per litre, or 39.9%, since the start of the reported US-Iran conflict
- Average diesel fill-up
- Almost £110 for a family car
- Average petrol price
- 174.13p per litre
- Fuel-duty timetable
- Increases of 1p per litre on September 1, 2p on December 1 and 2p on March 1, 2027
- RAC warning
- The average diesel price could exceed £2 per litre if oil prices remain elevated