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UK drivers should prepare for rising fuel prices in the coming weeks as conflict between the US, Israel and Iran sends shockwaves through global oil markets. Motoring groups are warning that petrol prices could reach record levels within days if the disruption continues.

Where Prices Stand Now

As of last week, average UK petrol prices sat at 131.71p per litre, with diesel at 141.46p. These figures represented a period of relative stability – petrol had barely moved (up just 0.1p) and diesel was unchanged week-on-week.

Year-on-year, drivers had been enjoying significant savings: petrol was 7.9p cheaper than February 2025, while diesel was down 5.4p. That calm now looks set to end.

What’s Happening?

Conflict has spread across the Middle East after the US and Israel carried out strikes on Iran on Saturday, which were followed by retaliatory Iranian strikes on targets in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan and Iraq. The country’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei was killed in a targeted attack on Saturday, and top officials have vowed not to negotiate with the United States.

The key concern for fuel prices is the Strait of Hormuz – the narrow passage that provides the only route from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean, through which around 20 per cent of the world’s gas and oil is shipped.

At least three vessels near the Strait of Hormuz were struck by an “unknown projectile” over the weekend, according to the UK Maritime Trade Organisation. At least 150 tankers dropped anchor in the open Gulf waters beyond the strait on Sunday, suggesting significant disruption.

Iran has warned vessels not to pass through the strait, with international shipping coming to an effective standstill at the entrance to the passage.

How High Could Prices Go?

Between the evening of Friday 27 February and Sunday 1 March, the price of Brent crude oil rose from $73 to $80 per barrel – a rise of over 10 per cent.

AA president Edmund King has issued a stark warning. He predicted that petrol prices could return to levels last seen at the start of 2026, when a litre of petrol was an average of 135.7p, compared with as low as 131.9p last month.

That would represent a rise of around 4p per litre from current levels – adding roughly £2 to a 50-litre fill.

The RAC’s head of policy, Simon Williams, outlined the potential impact at different oil price levels: “If oil were to climb to and stay at the $80 a barrel mark, then drivers could expect to pay an average of 136 pence for petrol. At $90, we’d be looking at over 140 pence a litre and $100 would take us nearer to 150 pence.”

To put that in context: at 150p per litre, a 50-litre tank of petrol would cost £75 – nearly £10 more than the £65.85 it costs at today’s average prices.

The AA adds that volatility in the market combined with the planned reversal of the 5p fuel duty cut could push prices to 142.5p per litre – equal to the highest level registered before the pandemic.

The Fuel Duty Factor

Adding to concerns is the planned increase in fuel duty. The 5p-per-litre cut introduced in March 2022 in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is being reversed. Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced at November’s Budget that this would begin with a 1p increase in September this year, followed by 2p in December and the final 2p in March 2027.

If oil prices remain elevated when these increases take effect, drivers could face a double hit.

What Should Drivers Do?

Mr King said: “There is no need for drivers to break their refuelling routine. It takes time for cost increases to work their way through to the pump.”

With prices potentially varying by 20p or more per litre between stations during volatile periods, checking prices before you fill up becomes more important than ever.

How Long Will This Last?

The duration of any price spike depends entirely on how the conflict develops. Jorge Leon, senior vice president at energy intelligence firm Rystad Energy, said that if the strait was blocked, the resulting spike in oil prices could directly impact UK consumers.

He warned that Iran is “taking quite a hawkish approach at the moment” and added: “Even if Iran shows signs of de-escalation, it could take a few weeks for shipping to return to normal as traffic clears and operators remain hesitant to use the strait.”

It’s worth noting that despite increasing tensions, the price of oil remains well below the highs seen during Russia’s initial invasion of Ukraine, when the cost of oil soared to $114 per barrel, rising a few months later to a peak of $119.

Government Response

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “The Government is monitoring the situation closely. The UK benefits from strong and diverse security of energy supplies. The Energy Secretary (Ed Miliband) spoke to the executive director of the International Energy Agency (Dr Fatih Birol) over the weekend.”

The spokesman added: “There are currently no reported impacts to UK fuel supply.”

What This Means For Your Wallet

Here’s how rising prices could affect the cost of filling a 50-litre tank:

Scenario	Petrol Price	Cost Per Tank	Increase vs Today
Current average	131.71p	£65.85	–
Return to January levels	135.7p	£67.85	+£2.00
Oil at $80/barrel	136p	£68.00	+£2.15
Oil at $90/barrel	140p	£70.00	+£4.15
Oil at $100/barrel	150p	£75.00	+£9.15
Worst case (with duty rise)	142.5p	£71.25	+£5.40

For drivers filling up weekly, even a return to January price levels would cost an additional £104 per year.

The Bottom Line

After weeks of stability and year-on-year savings, UK fuel prices are set to rise. The extent depends on how the conflict develops, but drivers should expect gradual increases over the coming weeks.

The best defence is to shop around – during volatile periods, the gap between the cheapest and most expensive stations in your area often widens significantly.

Want to add real-time fuel prices to your website? The CheckFuelPrices widget lets you embed live UK petrol and diesel prices in minutes – completely free, fully customisable, and powered by official government data.

Whether you run a news site, motoring blog, local community page, or business website, giving your readers instant access to fuel prices keeps them engaged and coming back.

Why Add a Fuel Price Widget?

Fuel costs affect everyone. With petrol averaging 131.60p and diesel at 141.46p per litre, drivers are actively searching for ways to save money at the pump. A fuel price widget on your site:

Increases engagement – Visitors check prices, bookmark your page, and return regularly for updates.

Adds genuine value – You’re giving readers useful, actionable information they can use immediately.

Requires zero maintenance – Prices update automatically every 30 minutes. Set it up once and forget it.

Costs nothing – The widget is completely free with no usage limits, no API keys, and no premium tiers.

Powered by Official Data

Since February 2026, all UK petrol stations must report prices to the government’s Fuel Finder Scheme within 30 minutes of any change. The CheckFuelPrices widget pulls directly from this official source, meaning your readers see accurate, current prices – not stale crowdsourced guesses.

Over 8,000 UK stations are covered, with more joining the scheme daily.

How It Works

Adding the widget to your site takes two minutes:

Option 1: JavaScript embed (recommended)

Add the script to your page:

<script src="https://checkfuelprices.co.uk/js/widget.js"></script>

Then place a container where you want the widget:

<div data-cfp-widget data-postcode="SW1A 2DR"></div>

→ Build this widget visually with the configurator

Option 2: iframe embed (for Wix, Squarespace, etc.)

If your platform restricts custom scripts:

<iframe
    src="https://checkfuelprices.co.uk/widget/embed?postcode=SW1A%202DR"
    width="100%"
    height="600"
    frameborder="0"
    title="Fuel Prices Widget"
></iframe>

→ Generate your iframe code with the configurator

That’s it. The widget appears with live prices for the specified location.

Fully Customisable

Tailor the widget to match your site and audience:

Location – Set a default postcode, city, or GPS coordinates. Perfect for local news sites covering specific areas.

Fuel type – Show E10 petrol, E5 super unleaded, diesel, or premium diesel. A motoring site might show all options; a logistics blog might default to diesel.

Sort order – Display by nearest station, cheapest price, or most expensive (useful for price comparison content).

Search radius – From 2 miles for urban areas to 50 miles for rural coverage.

Number of stations – Show 3 for a compact sidebar widget or up to 20 for a full-page feature.

Theme – Light, dark, or auto-match to your site’s colour scheme.

Brand filter – Show only specific brands like Tesco, Asda, Shell, or BP.

Search bar – Include it so visitors can search their own postcode, or hide it for a cleaner look.

→ Explore all options in the widget configurator

Example Configurations

For a local news site covering Manchester:

<div 
    data-cfp-widget 
    data-postcode="M1 1AE"
    data-limit="10"
    data-radius="10"
></div>

→ Customise this in the configurator

For a motoring blog sidebar (compact, no search):

<div 
    data-cfp-widget 
    data-postcode="London"
    data-show-search="false"
    data-show-filters="false"
    data-limit="5"
></div>

→ Customise this in the configurator

For a fleet/logistics site (diesel only, cheapest first):

<div 
    data-cfp-widget 
    data-postcode="Birmingham"
    data-fuel="B7"
    data-sort="price_low"
    data-radius="25"
></div>

→ Customise this in the configurator

For a national site (let users search their area):

<div 
    data-cfp-widget 
    data-search-first="true"
    data-limit="10"
></div>

→ Customise this in the configurator

Lightweight & Fast

The widget is built for performance:

Shadow DOM isolation – Styles won’t conflict with your existing CSS.

Lazy loading – Only loads when visible, keeping your page speed scores healthy.

Minimal footprint – No bulky frameworks or dependencies.

Your Core Web Vitals won’t take a hit.

Use Cases

News websites – Add a fuel price widget to your money, motoring, or local news sections. Update your weekly fuel price articles with live, embedded data rather than static screenshots.

Motoring blogs – Give readers practical value alongside your reviews and guides.

Local community sites – Show prices for your specific town or region.

Business websites – Fleet operators, delivery companies, and logistics firms can embed prices for quick driver reference.

Comparison sites – Add fuel prices alongside your existing financial or consumer tools.

Price tracking content – Embed the widget within articles about fuel costs, making your content more interactive and evergreen.

Technical Details

For developers who want more control, the widget offers a JavaScript API:

const widget = new FuelPriceWidget('#my-container', {
    postcode: 'SW1A 2DR',
    fuel: 'E10',
    theme: 'dark',
    limit: 10
});

// Update location dynamically
widget.setLocation(51.5074, -0.1278);

// Change fuel type
widget.setFuel('B7');

// Refresh data
widget.refresh();

→ Start with the visual configurator, then customise with the API

All Configuration Options

Attribute	Description	Example Values
data-postcode	Location to search	SW1A 2DR, Manchester, Leeds
data-coords	GPS coordinates	“51.5074, -0.1278”
data-fuel	Fuel type	E10, E5, B7, SDV
data-sort	Sort order	distance, price_low, price_high
data-radius	Search radius (miles)	1-50
data-limit	Stations to show	1-20
data-theme	Colour theme	light, dark, auto
data-brand	Filter by brand	Shell, BP, Tesco, Asda
data-show-search	Show search bar	true, false
data-show-filters	Show filter dropdowns	true, false
data-search-first	User enters location first	true, false

→ Configure all these options visually

No Catches

The widget is genuinely free:

• No usage limits
• No API keys required
• No mandatory attribution (though a link back is appreciated)
• No premium tier or paywalled features
• No ads injected into the widget

We built this to make fuel price data more accessible. The more sites embedding it, the more drivers benefit.

Get Started

Ready to add live fuel prices to your site?

1. Visit the widget configurator to build your widget visually
2. Copy the generated embed code
3. Paste it into your website
4. Done – prices update automatically

Need help integrating or have a feature request? Get in touch.

See It In Action

With fuel prices varying by up to 20p per litre between stations, a good petrol price app can save UK drivers hundreds of pounds a year. But which fuel finder app actually delivers? We’ve compared the top options to help you find the best fuel finder for your needs.

What to Look For in a Fuel Price App

Before diving into the options, here’s what separates a useful fuel finder from a frustrating one:

Data accuracy – How fresh are the prices? User-submitted data can be days old. Apps using the government’s Fuel Finder Scheme show petrol prices and diesel prices updated within 30 minutes.

Coverage – How many UK stations are included? The more comprehensive, the better your chances of finding the cheapest option.

Ease of use – Can you check prices quickly, or do you need to create an account, verify your email, and navigate ads first?

Cost – Is it genuinely free, or are the best features locked behind a subscription?

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1. PetrolPrices

Website: petrolprices.com

Overview: One of the longest-running fuel price services in the UK, PetrolPrices has been helping drivers find cheaper fuel since 2006. The platform offers petrol prices and diesel prices across thousands of UK stations.

Pros:

• Established brand with nearly two decades of fuel price data
• Price alerts when fuel drops in your area
• Journey planner to find cheap fuel along your route
• Cashback offers and deals through partnerships

Cons:

• Requires account registration to access full features
• Some features reserved for premium membership
• Relies partly on user-submitted prices, which can become outdated
• App interface can feel cluttered with offers and promotions

Best for: Drivers who want price alerts and don’t mind creating an account.

---

2. CheckFuelPrices

Website: checkfuelprices.co.uk

Overview: A newer entrant focused on simplicity and official data. CheckFuelPrices integrates directly with the government’s Fuel Finder Scheme, launched in February 2026, which requires all UK stations to report petrol prices and diesel prices within 30 minutes of any change.

Pros:

• No account or sign-up required – just search and go
• Official Fuel Finder Scheme data means prices updated within 30 minutes
• Works as a Progressive Web App (PWA) – add to home screen without downloading from app stores
• Clean, fast interface with no ads or upsells
• Filter by fuel type: E10 petrol prices, E5 super unleaded, diesel prices, premium diesel
• Browse by brand (Tesco, Asda, Esso, BP, Shell, etc.)
• Fuel price map for visual comparison
• Completely free with no premium tier

Cons:

• No price alerts (yet)
• No journey planning feature
• Newer service, less established than some competitors

Best for: Drivers who want the best fuel finder experience without creating an account or navigating a cluttered app.

---

3. Waze

Overview: Primarily a navigation app, Waze includes crowdsourced fuel prices reported by its community of drivers.

Pros:

• Integrated into navigation – see petrol prices and diesel prices while routing
• Large user community means decent coverage
• Free to use

Cons:

• Fuel prices are crowdsourced and can be outdated
• Not a dedicated fuel finder – features are secondary to navigation
• Requires account to contribute prices
• Price accuracy varies significantly by area

Best for: Drivers already using Waze for navigation who want basic fuel price info without switching apps.

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How the Fuel Finder Scheme Changes Things

Since February 2026, all UK petrol stations must report prices to a central government database within 30 minutes of any change. This Fuel Finder Scheme has transformed the accuracy of petrol prices and diesel prices available to apps that integrate it.

Apps pulling directly from this official source (like CheckFuelPrices) now offer significantly fresher data than those relying on crowdsourced reports, where prices might be days or even weeks old.

When choosing a fuel finder app, it’s worth checking whether it uses Fuel Finder Scheme data or relies on user submissions.

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Quick Comparison

App	Sign-up Required	Data Source	Free to Use	UK-Focused
PetrolPrices	Yes	Mixed (users + feeds)	Partly (premium tier)	Yes
CheckFuelPrices	No	Fuel Finder Scheme	Yes (fully free)	Yes
Waze	Yes (to contribute)	Crowdsourced	Yes	No (global)

---

Current UK Fuel Prices

As of February 2026, average UK petrol prices sit at 131.60p per litre, with diesel prices at 141.46p. However, these are national averages – actual prices at individual stations can vary by 20p or more per litre.

On a 50-litre tank, that’s a potential £10 difference between the cheapest and most expensive stations in your area. Using a fuel finder before you fill up takes seconds and can save you over £500 a year.

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How to Add CheckFuelPrices to Your Phone

If you want to try the no-sign-up approach, CheckFuelPrices works as a Progressive Web App – giving you the best fuel finder experience without the app store hassle:

iPhone (Safari):

1. Visit CheckFuelPrices.co.uk
2. Tap the Share button
3. Tap “Add to Home Screen”

Android (Chrome):

1. Visit CheckFuelPrices.co.uk
2. Tap the three-dot menu
3. Tap “Add to Home Screen” or “Install App”

No download, no account, no storage footprint. Just instant access to live petrol prices and diesel prices across the UK.

---

The Bottom Line

For drivers who want price alerts and don’t mind registering, PetrolPrices offers a mature platform with additional features like journey planning and cashback deals.

For those who just want to check petrol prices and diesel prices quickly without any friction, CheckFuelPrices delivers the best fuel finder experience – official Fuel Finder Scheme data in a clean, free, no-account-needed package.

If you’re already using Waze for navigation, its built-in fuel features might be good enough for occasional checks – but a dedicated fuel finder offers more comprehensive and accurate price comparisons.

Whichever you choose, using any fuel price app regularly beats filling up blind. Check the prices, find the cheapest station, and keep more money in your pocket.

With petrol averaging 131.60p per litre and diesel at 141.46p, filling up a 50-litre tank now costs between £66 and £71. But those are national averages – what you actually pay depends heavily on which petrol station you use. Prices can vary by as much as 20p per litre between fuel stations just a few miles apart, meaning the difference between a savvy fill-up and an expensive one could be £10 or more per tank.

Here’s how to make sure you’re not overpaying.

Why Fuel Prices Vary So Much

Not all petrol stations price their fuel the same way. Supermarkets like Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons typically offer the lowest prices, using fuel as a loss-leader to get you through the door. Independent forecourts, petrol garages and motorway services tend to charge the most – sometimes significantly more.

You’ve probably noticed this yourself: UK motorway fuel prices are often 15-20p per litre higher than regular forecourts. That quick top-up at the services could be costing you an extra £8-10 per tank compared to waiting for the nearest petrol station off the motorway.

Location matters too. Urban areas with multiple competing stations often see lower prices than rural locations where drivers have fewer options. And even within the same town, prices can swing depending on local competition and footfall.

Use a Fuel Price Checker

The simplest way to find cheap fuel is to check before you leave. Instead of typing “petrol station near me” into Google and hoping for the best, use a dedicated fuel price checker that shows you actual prices, not just locations.

At CheckFuelPrices, you can enter your postcode, town or city and instantly see current prices at nearby stations, ranked from cheapest to most expensive. Looking for a fuel station near me? We’ll show you every option within your chosen radius, complete with live pricing.

Each listing shows the price per litre for petrol (E10), super unleaded (E5), diesel (B7) and premium diesel, along with the distance from your location. You can filter by fuel type and see when prices were last updated – so you know you’re getting accurate information, not stale data.

How the Fuel Finder Scheme Helps

Since February 2026, all UK petrol stations are required to report their prices to a central government database within 30 minutes of any change. This is the Fuel Finder Scheme, introduced to bring transparency to fuel pricing.

CheckFuelPrices pulls data directly from this scheme, meaning when you search for petrol stations near me, you’re seeing near real-time prices for participating forecourts. Combined with our existing retailer feeds, we’re now covering more stations with fresher data than ever before.

Is It Worth Driving to the Closest Petrol Station?

The closest petrol station to me isn’t always the cheapest – and that’s the key insight. If a fuel garage near me is 5p per litre cheaper than the nearest option, that’s £2.50 saved on a 50-litre fill. Whether it’s worth driving past the nearest petrol station depends on the distance and your car’s fuel economy.

As a rough guide: if the saving per litre multiplied by your tank size exceeds the cost of the extra fuel to get there, make the detour. For small differences of 1-2p per litre, the closest option makes sense. For 5p or more, it’s usually worth going slightly further.

Tips for Consistently Paying Less

Fill up at supermarket petrol stations when possible – they’re almost always cheaper than branded forecourts. You can browse stations by brand to compare Asda, Tesco, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s prices in your area.

Avoid motorway services unless you’re running on fumes; with UK motorway fuel prices running so much higher than regular stations, that convenience comes at a serious cost.

Check prices before setting off, especially if you’re driving somewhere unfamiliar. Searching “fuel station near me” once you’re already low on fuel limits your options – a quick check on our fuel price checker before you leave means you can plan your route around the cheapest stop.

Keep an eye on price trends too. Fuel tends to be cheapest mid-week and can creep up before bank holidays when demand rises. Check our fuel price map to see pricing across a wider area, or search by postcode if you know exactly where you’re heading.

Find the Cheapest Petrol Station Near You

Ready to stop overpaying at the pump? Head to CheckFuelPrices.co.uk, enter your location, and see exactly what every petrol garage near you is charging right now.

4th February 2025

We’ve integrated the government’s new Fuel Finder API to bring you fuel prices from across the UK. Here’s where we’re at.

What’s Happening

The Fuel Finder API is experiencing intermittent connectivity issues. When the connection is available, we’re pulling and updating prices — but it’s not as reliable as we’d like right now.

As a workaround, we’re also working on importing the CSV file the government provides as a backup data source.

Filling the Gaps

Not all stations in the Fuel Finder database are reporting prices yet. For those stations, we’re using our retailer feeds to fill in the blanks:

• Ascona Group
• Asda
• BP
• Esso Tesco Alliance
• JET Retail UK
• Karan Retail Ltd
• Morrisons
• Moto
• Motor Fuel Group
• Rontec
• Sainsbury’s
• SGN
• Shell
• Tesco

This means you’re still getting prices for stations that haven’t submitted to the scheme, mapped against the official Fuel Finder station data.

What’s Next

We’re monitoring the API and updating prices whenever connectivity allows. Once the government’s system stabilises, you’ll see more consistent updates across all stations.

Thanks for bearing with us while we work through the teething issues of this new scheme.

We’ve integrated the new Fuel Finder Scheme to bring you more accurate, up-to-date fuel prices across the UK.

From 3rd February 2025, all UK petrol stations are required to report their prices to a central government database within 30 minutes of any change. This is part of the new Fuel Finder Scheme, introduced to help drivers find the cheapest fuel near them.

At CheckFuelPrices, we’re now pulling data directly from this scheme for participating forecourts, meaning you’ll see fresher prices than ever before.

What This Means for You

When you search for fuel prices on CheckFuelPrices, you’re now seeing data from two sources:

• Fuel Finder Scheme data — official prices submitted by forecourts to the government database, updated within 30 minutes of any price change
• Retailer Feeds — for stations not yet fully integrated with the scheme, we continue to monitor prices through our existing methods

This hybrid approach means we’re covering more stations than ever, while ensuring you get the most current prices available.

Work in Progress

We want to be upfront: this is an evolving process. As forecourts submit their data to the new scheme, we’re matching it against our existing database of stations. You might occasionally spot what looks like a duplicate listing — this can happen when a station’s official Fuel Finder entry doesn’t perfectly match our records.

We’re actively working to clean up these inconsistencies and enrich our data. If you notice any errors or duplicates, let us know — your reports help us improve.

How to Compare Fuel Prices

Finding the cheapest fuel near you is straightforward:

1. Enter your location or postcode
2. We’ll show you nearby stations with current prices
3. Compare prices, distance, and facilities
4. Check when prices were last updated

Each listing shows the price per litre, how it compares to local averages, and whether it’s worth the drive based on the actual savings versus distance.

Why This Matters

According to motoring groups, drivers can pay up to 20p per litre more depending on where they fill up. On a 50-litre tank, that’s a £10 difference. The government estimates the Fuel Finder Scheme could save the average household around £40 a year.

With petrol currently averaging around 132p per litre — the lowest since July 2021 — and diesel at 141p, there’s never been a better time to shop around.

Keep Us Posted

Spotted a price that doesn’t match what you saw at the pump? Found a station we’re missing? Your feedback helps us maintain the most accurate fuel price database possible.

The Fuel Finder Scheme is a step forward for transparency in fuel pricing, and we’re committed to making that data as useful as possible for UK drivers.