Last Updated: 26/02/2025 11:45:37
County | Price |
---|---|
Belfast Greater | 127.9 |
County Londonderry | 128.8 |
County Tyrone | 130.25 |
County Fermanagh | 130.7 |
County Antrim | 131.05 |
Aberdeen City | 131.7 |
County Armagh | 131.7 |
Clackmannanshire | 131.7 |
County Down | 131.9 |
Wrexham | 134 |
Merseyside | 134.8013158 |
South Ayrshire | 134.8428571 |
Renfrewshire | 135 |
East Ayrshire | 135.02 |
Isle of Anglesey | 135.4333333 |
Angus | 135.7133333 |
Swansea | 135.9545455 |
Midlothian | 136.1 |
East Renfrewshire | 136.1666667 |
City of Edinburgh | 136.396 |
Caerphilly | 136.5 |
Greater Manchester | 136.5732026 |
Blaenau Gwent | 136.7 |
Tyne and Wear | 136.7566667 |
Torfaen | 136.7666667 |
Gwynedd | 136.8 |
County of Bristol | 136.8481481 |
Scottish Borders | 136.8555556 |
Dunbartonshire | 136.9 |
Inverclyde | 136.9 |
Aberdeenshire | 137.0375 |
Bridgend | 137.0666667 |
Neath Port Talbot | 137.1333333 |
Ceredigion | 137.1666667 |
West Yorkshire | 137.1696429 |
South Yorkshire | 137.2731343 |
West Midlands | 137.320979 |
Gloucestershire | 137.4102941 |
Pembrokeshire | 137.4142857 |
Glasgow City | 137.4882353 |
West Dunbart | 137.7 |
Cardiff | 137.8 |
Lancashire | 137.8756757 |
South Lanarkshire | 138.0052632 |
Rhondda Cynon Taff | 138.0454545 |
Northumberland | 138.1666667 |
Derbyshire | 138.3310811 |
North Ayrshire | 138.42 |
East Dunbartonshire | 138.425 |
Norfolk | 138.4346939 |
Lincolnshire | 138.4607843 |
Nottinghamshire | 138.5983051 |
Monmouthshire | 138.66 |
Newport | 138.7 |
Moray | 138.82 |
Suffolk | 138.9363636 |
Devon | 138.9658228 |
Shropshire | 139.0617021 |
Rutland | 139.1 |
Durham | 139.15 |
North Lanarkshire | 139.1592593 |
Cheshire | 139.1982759 |
East Riding of Yorkshire | 139.2571429 |
Hertfordshire | 139.3684211 |
East Sussex | 139.3826923 |
Falkirk | 139.4411765 |
Warwickshire | 139.5 |
Argyll and Bute | 139.575 |
Carmarthenshire | 139.6052632 |
Staffordshire | 139.626087 |
Leicestershire | 139.8109091 |
Stirling | 139.8333333 |
Dorset | 139.8932203 |
Hampshire | 139.9217391 |
Flintshire | 139.9285714 |
Essex | 139.9462185 |
Wiltshire | 139.95 |
Powys | 139.9571429 |
Greater London | 140.163172 |
Herefordshire | 140.2625 |
Worcestershire | 140.325 |
Bedfordshire | 140.3958333 |
Vale of Glamorgan | 140.58 |
West Lothian | 140.6058824 |
North Yorkshire | 140.6097561 |
Kent | 140.6188525 |
Perth and Kinross | 140.7 |
West Sussex | 140.7421053 |
Buckinghamshire | 140.7976471 |
East Lothian | 140.8142857 |
Northamptonshire | 140.8173913 |
Oxfordshire | 141.0735294 |
Denbighshire | 141.0916667 |
Conwy | 141.2 |
Highland | 141.2230769 |
Surrey | 141.2280702 |
Berkshire | 141.247619 |
Cornwall | 141.25 |
Merthyr Tydfil | 141.3 |
Isle of Wight | 141.35 |
Fife | 141.4888889 |
Somerset | 141.5541667 |
Orkney Islands | 141.7 |
Cambridgeshire | 142.3387097 |
Cumbria | 142.6060606 |
Dumfries and Galloway | 147.4142857 |
UK Region | Price |
---|---|
Northern Ireland | 130.1 |
North West England | 137.4 |
North East England | 137.8 |
Scotland | 138.3 |
Yorkshire and the Humber | 138.4 |
Wales | 138.7 |
West Midlands | 138.8 |
East Midlands | 139.1 |
South West England | 139.7 |
East of England | 139.9 |
London | 140.2 |
South East England | 140.6 |
In the United Kingdom, the price you pay at the pump reflects a complex blend of global commodity markets, domestic supply chains and government levies. Here’s how the pieces fit together:
1. Crude Oil and Refining Costs
Every litre of petrol or diesel begins life as crude oil, traded internationally in dollars per barrel (Brent Crude is the most common benchmark for UK fuels). Refiners purchase this raw feedstock on futures markets or via long-term contracts, hedging price swings through derivative instruments. Once onshore, crude is converted into petrol, diesel and other products. The “refining margin” is the difference between the cost of crude and the value of the finished product; it fluctuates with maintenance schedules, capacity constraints and evolving demand (for example, the shift toward diesel in recent decades).
2. Distribution and Marketing
After refining, fuel is shipped by pipeline, rail or road tanker to regional storage terminals. From there, local distributors deliver it to individual forecourts. Distribution and marketing account for roughly 5–7 pence per litre, covering haulage, terminal fees, staff wages, site maintenance, insurance and card-processing charges. Large supermarket chains often leverage their broader retail networks to keep these costs lower than independent operators.
3. Fuel Duty
The largest single tax on UK forecourts is Hydrocarbon Oil Duty—commonly known as “fuel duty.” Currently set at a fixed rate of 57.95 pence per litre for both petrol and diesel, it is frozen until at least 2026. Because it’s a volumetric levy, duty makes up a larger percentage of the final price when pump prices are low and a smaller percentage when prices spike.
4. Climate Change Levy & Other Levies
A smaller Climate Change Levy (CCL) applies to certain non-road diesel users, such as industrial and agricultural consumers. There are also occasional temporary levies or rebates to encourage low-carbon alternatives (for example, reduced duty on biodiesel blends).
5. Value-Added Tax (VAT)
VAT at 20 percent is levied on the combined “net” cost of fuel (crude/refining margin + distribution + duty). Because VAT applies to duty as well, it effectively taxes the tax — adding around 12 pence per litre.
6. Forecourt Retail Margin
Finally, retailers add their own margin—typically 3–5 pence per litre—to cover overhead and profit. Margins can vary significantly by location, brand strength and competitive pressure.