← Back to fuel prices

Feature · Saving on fuel

How to get cheaper petrol and diesel in the UK

The price on the pole is only part of what you spend. This is a practical guide to paying less at the pump, and stretching every litre further — without taking sides or chasing myths.

By TankTicker · November 2026 · General information only, not financial advice

Two drivers filling the same car can end up with very different bills, depending on where they stop, what they put in, and how they drive afterwards. This guide sets out the practical ways to spend less on petrol and diesel in the UK, using official figures and advice from bodies such as the AA, the RAC, the Energy Saving Trust and the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).

None of it is a miracle cure. Tax makes up a large share of every litre, and oil markets move prices in ways no driver can control. What you can control is shopping around, avoiding the dearest places when you have a choice, and wasting less fuel once it's in the tank.

This is general information, not financial advice. Always check the price on the pump before you fill up, and check your vehicle handbook before you change fuel or driving habits.

Compare prices before you fill up

The single most reliable way to pay less is to look at local prices before you commit to a forecourt. The difference between the cheapest and dearest station in the same area is often only a few pence a litre, but it adds up over a tank and over a year.

The CMA's 2023 road fuel market study found that, with clearer prices and effective shopping around, the driver of a typical family car could save up to £4.50 a tank within a five-minute drive. That was an illustration of what better information could be worth, not a promise that every trip will save that amount. The cheapest forecourt in an area also changes, so it pays to check rather than assume.

The government's Fuel Finder scheme, which went live on 2 February 2026, is what makes that comparison possible. It is not itself a consumer app. It is an open data service: petrol stations across the UK must report a price change within 30 minutes, and the data is published for websites and apps to use. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has estimated that this will save car-owning households an average of £40 a year, and that it should sharpen competition over time. In a factsheet published in March 2026, the government said around 90% of stations had signed up, with the CMA able to take enforcement action against any that still do not report.

TankTicker is a free UK fuel price finder that uses this official data. Enter a postcode on the homepage and you can compare nearby forecourts by fuel type, see when each price was last updated, and sort the list to suit you. You can also view prices on a map, check the cheapest fuel on your route, or sign up for price alerts.

A few things to keep in mind, which we explain more fully on how prices work:

For the national picture, rather than today's local pump prices, the government's weekly averages are on our UK averages page. For how prices have moved over the years, see the history of UK fuel prices.

Want to know what it costs near you today? Check live prices at your local forecourts with the TankTicker price finder, using official Fuel Finder data.

Supermarket, independent and motorway prices

Where you fill up often matters more than any loyalty point or driving tip. Broadly, supermarket forecourts have tended to be among the cheaper places to buy fuel, and motorway service areas among the dearest if you are paying the price on the pole. Independents sit somewhere in between, and in some towns they are the cheapest of the lot. None of that is a rule you can apply with your eyes closed. Local competition, and whether a supermarket is nearby, makes a real difference.

The CMA's final report, published in July 2023, found that supermarkets were generally the cheapest places to buy fuel. It also found that prices tended to be lower where a station faced more competitors, especially another supermarket, and higher in places with no supermarket nearby or where retailers' costs were higher, such as more remote areas. The cheapest retailer in an area was not always the same one over time.

Motorway service areas are a special case. The CMA found that, in 2022, drivers paying the advertised pump price at a motorway forecourt paid, on average, around 20p a litre more for petrol and 15p a litre more for diesel than at non-motorway stations. That premium had grown in real terms since 2012, and there was little price variation between motorway sites. The CMA did not find evidence that the gap was explained by higher retailer costs. It noted that around three-quarters of motorway fuel was bought by business customers using a fuel card, and that the higher pole prices mainly affected the remaining drivers who paid the price on the board.

The gap still matters, though the exact number moves. On 30 June 2026, RAC Fuel Watch figures put the average motorway petrol price at 171.67p a litre, against a UK-wide average of 151.40p, and motorway diesel at 187.24p, against 167.14p — a gap of about 20p a litre on both fuels on that day.

The practical advice is simple. If you can, fill up before you join the motorway, or leave at an ordinary exit and use a comparison tool to find a cheaper station near the junction. If you are already on a long journey, our cheapest on route tool is designed for that. And if a cheaper station is a few miles out of your way, check whether the saving on the tank is bigger than the cost of the extra miles with the worth the drive? calculator. A bargain 30 miles off your route can easily cost more in fuel than it saves.

Warehouse clubs that sell fuel to members can also be competitive, but you usually need a membership, and not every area has one. Compare the pump price with other local stations and factor in the membership fee if you would not otherwise join. Live prices for Costco forecourts that report to Fuel Finder are on our Costco prices page.

When to fill up — and when not to

The best time to fill up is when you still have a choice. If you wait until the warning light is on, you will take the next forecourt you see, which is often not the cheapest. Try to refuel as part of a trip you are making anyway, with enough in the tank to reach a station you have already compared.

There is no reliable "cheap day of the week" that holds everywhere, and prices can move more than once in a day. Checking live prices beats trying to outguess the market.

A few familiar tips are not worth the effort:

Do not keep filling after the pump clicks off. You risk a spill, and you do not need to brim the tank.

Loyalty schemes, fuel cards and cashback

Loyalty schemes

Many supermarket and oil-company forecourts run loyalty schemes, and from time to time there are short-lived pence-off promotions. Points and vouchers are a modest extra if you were going to fill up there anyway. They are a poor reason to use a dearer station. The gap between neighbouring pump prices can easily outweigh what a typical scheme gives back.

If you do use a scheme, stick to the forecourts you already know are competitive, and still compare the price on the day. Offers change, and we are not listing current promotions here because they date quickly.

Fuel cards

Fuel cards are mainly a business tool. Some give a commercial price that can be similar at motorway and non-motorway sites; others are linked to the pump price at the station you use. The CMA noted this distinction in its 2023 study, which is one reason business drivers at motorway services often pay less than a private motorist looking at the same pole.

Fees, discounts and VAT treatment vary by card and by how the business is set up. This guide cannot tell you whether a particular card is worth it. If you run a business and buy a lot of fuel, compare the contract terms carefully, including any fees, and get advice if you need it.

Cashback and reward cards

Some credit cards and a smaller number of current accounts pay a percentage back on spending, which can include fuel. Used carefully, that can shave a little off the annual bill. Used carelessly, it can cost you far more than you get back.

The important limit is interest. If you do not pay the card off in full, interest will almost always wipe out the cashback. A direct debit set to clear the balance each month is the usual way to avoid that, but you should check the arrangement with the card issuer. Applying for several cards in a short period can also affect your credit file.

Offers, rates and eligibility change, so this is not a recommendation of any card or account, and it is not financial advice. If you are considering one, read the current terms, including any introductory period, spending caps and fees, and only borrow what you can repay.

Make the car itself more economical

Before changing how you drive, it is worth taking a few minutes over the car. The AA, the RAC Foundation and the Energy Saving Trust all point to the same basics: tyres, weight, drag and how you use the air-conditioning.

Keep the tyres at the right pressure

Under-inflated tyres increase rolling resistance, so the engine works harder and you use more fuel. They also wear faster and can be less safe. The RAC Foundation has long advised that tyres 20% below the correct pressure can reduce fuel economy by 3%. TyreSafe, the UK tyre safety body, has said that tyres just 6psi below the recommended pressure could increase fuel consumption by 3%.

Check the pressures at least once a month and before a long journey, with the tyres cold. The correct figures are in the handbook, on a driver's door sill, or inside the fuel filler flap. Over-inflating is not a shortcut to better economy, and it can harm how the car handles.

Lose the extra weight and the empty roof rack

The heavier the car, the more fuel it takes to get it moving. Clear out tools, sports kit and other things that live in the boot "just in case". You will not transform your mpg, but you will not be paying to haul them around either.

Roof bars, boxes and racks are a bigger drain at speed, because they add drag even when they are empty. The AA and the Energy Saving Trust both recommend taking them off when you are not using them. The same goes for unused bike carriers. If you only need a box for a holiday, put it on for the trip and take it off when you get home.

Use the air-conditioning with a bit of sense

Air-conditioning uses engine power, and therefore fuel. The AA's advice is to open the windows around town and save the air-conditioning for higher-speed driving, when open windows create more drag. The Energy Saving Trust is a little more cautious, saying it is generally more efficient to open a window than to run the air-conditioning, even at higher speeds, but it accepts that this is not always comfortable.

In practice: do not leave the air-conditioning running as a matter of habit, and do not drive for miles with all the windows down on the motorway if you are only doing it to avoid using the system. The AA also suggests running the air-conditioning at least once a week, even in winter, to help keep it in good condition.

Switch off the rear demister, extra fans and other electrical loads when you do not need them. They are a smaller drain, but they all ask a little more of the engine or the alternator.

Keep the car serviced

A car that is overdue a service, running on the wrong grade of oil, or dragging a sticking brake will use more fuel. Follow the handbook, and use the oil specification the manufacturer asks for. It is unglamorous advice, and it works.

Drive in a way that uses less fuel

How you drive is often worth more than any single tweak to the car. When 50 AA staff spent a week driving as usual and a second week following the AA's eco-driving advice, they saved an average of 10% on their weekly fuel bills. The biggest individual saving was 33%. Results will vary with the car, the roads and how you drove to begin with, but the direction is clear.

The idea is not to dawdle or hold people up. It is to be smooth, look ahead, and avoid asking the engine for energy you are about to throw away on the brakes.

If you want to see whether any of this is working, the AA suggests noting your current average mpg, resetting the trip computer, and comparing similar weeks of driving. Without a computer, fill the tank, record the mileage, and work it out from the next few fill-ups.

Premium fuel, E10 and E5

The dearest fuel on the forecourt is not automatically the best one for your car. For a fuller explanation of the grades, see our fuel types guide. The short version is below.

Should you pay extra for premium or super unleaded?

Standard petrol in the UK is 95-octane E10. Super unleaded is a higher-octane grade, usually 97 to 99 RON, sold as E5. Some retailers also sell their own branded premium petrols and premium diesels, often with extra detergent additives, at a higher price.

The RAC's advice is that super unleaded is required for some high-performance cars and preferable for others, but that in most cars any benefit is negligible. You can generally use a higher octane than the handbook asks for without harming the engine; using a lower octane than the manufacturer specifies may cause problems. Additive packages in some premium fuels are designed to help keep injectors and other parts clean, but for many everyday cars a premium grade makes no noticeable difference to performance, and it is not a substitute for the fuel, oil and servicing the manufacturer specifies.

Supermarket fuel meets the same British standards as fuel sold under an oil-company brand. The RAC has said there are no major differences between them. If your handbook simply asks for 95-octane petrol or standard diesel, you are unlikely to gain much by paying more.

E10 or E5?

E10 became the standard petrol in Great Britain in September 2021 and in Northern Ireland in November 2022. It contains up to 10% renewable ethanol. The government says that using it can reduce fuel economy by around 1%, which is unlikely to be noticeable in everyday driving, and that other factors — driving style, tyre pressures and a roof rack — have a much bigger effect.

Around 95% of petrol vehicles can use E10, and all cars built since 2011 can. Some classic and older vehicles, some early-2000s models, and some mopeds, especially 50cc and under, may not be compatible. If your car is not approved for E10, the government advises using E5 super unleaded, which remains on sale at stations that offer two grades of petrol. Check yours with the GOV.UK E10 vehicle checker.

If you accidentally put E10 into a car that should be on E5, the Department for Transport says a single tank should not be a major problem: fill up with E5 next time. Prolonged use in a non-compatible vehicle is not recommended. You should not need to drain the tank, unlike a petrol-into-diesel misfuel.

Diesel did not change when E10 was introduced. Standard forecourt diesel is B7. Premium diesel meets the same core standard, with added additives; whether it is worth the extra depends on the vehicle, and the independent evidence for ordinary cars is mixed.

Share the journey, or leave the car at home

The surest way to spend less on fuel is to use less of it. Sharing a regular commute, working from home when you can, and using the train, bus, bike or your feet for shorter trips all cut the number of litres you have to buy.

If you do share lifts, passenger contributions should cover a fair share of the costs and should not turn a profit. The Association of British Insurers has said that, for ABI member insurers, cover should not be affected if passengers contribute to running costs, provided you do not make a profit, carrying passengers is not your business, and the vehicle seats eight passengers or fewer. That is long-standing guidance, and policies can vary, so check with your own insurer. Meet new people in a public place, and let someone know your plans.

What you're actually paying for

A litre of fuel is not just the cost of the product. Fuel duty is charged at a flat 52.95p a litre on petrol and diesel, a rate that includes a temporary 5p cut first made in March 2022 and, as of Budget 2026, extended until 1 July 2027. VAT at 20% is then charged on both the fuel and the duty. Because duty is a fixed number of pence, the share of the pump price that is tax rises when prices are low and falls when they are high. Around the time of Budget 2026, the RAC Foundation estimated that tax made up about 47% of the petrol price and 43% of the diesel price.

The rest is the wholesale cost of the fuel — influenced by oil prices, refining, shipping and the pound-dollar exchange rate — plus the costs and margin of getting it to the forecourt. We set this out more fully in how prices work and in our history of UK fuel prices.

You cannot change the tax rate at the pump. You can still choose a cheaper forecourt, and you can still waste less of what you have paid for.

Frequently asked questions

How can I find the cheapest petrol or diesel near me?

Compare live prices before you set off, using a site or app that draws on the government's Fuel Finder data. TankTicker is free: enter a postcode, pick your fuel, and you will see nearby stations, their prices and when each price was last updated. You can also use the map or look for the cheapest fuel on your route. Always check the price on the pump, because figures can change and there is a short reporting delay.

Are supermarket fuel prices cheaper than motorway services?

Often, yes, but you should still check. The CMA found in 2023 that supermarkets were generally the cheapest places to buy fuel, and that in 2022 motorway service areas were, on average, around 20p a litre dearer for petrol and 15p a litre dearer for diesel for drivers paying the pump price. RAC figures for 30 June 2026 showed a gap of about 20p a litre between motorway prices and the UK average for both fuels. Independents can be cheapest in some areas. Fill up before you join the motorway if you can, or leave at a junction and compare.

Is it worth driving further for cheaper fuel?

Only if the saving on the fill-up is bigger than the cost of the extra miles there and back. Use our worth the drive? calculator, and remember that real road distances are a little longer than a straight line. Combining the detour with a trip you were making anyway makes a modest saving more likely to be worthwhile.

Is premium or super unleaded worth the extra money?

Only if your car needs it, or your handbook says it is preferable. The RAC says that for most cars any benefit from super unleaded is negligible. Premium grades with extra detergents may help keep a fuel system clean, but they are not a substitute for proper servicing, and for many everyday cars they make no noticeable difference. Supermarket fuel meets the same standards as branded fuel.

What is the difference between E10 and E5 petrol?

E10 is the standard 95-octane petrol and contains up to 10% ethanol. E5 is the super grade, with up to 5% ethanol and a higher octane rating, usually 97 to 99 RON. The government says E10 may reduce fuel economy by around 1%. About 95% of petrol vehicles, and all cars built since 2011, can use E10. If yours cannot, use E5 and check with the official vehicle checker.

Does filling up at night get you more fuel?

No, not in any way you can rely on. Fuel is stored in underground tanks that stay at a fairly steady temperature, and pumps dispense by volume. Full Fact, citing tests and the AA, has treated this as a myth.

How much can more economical driving actually save?

It depends on how you drive now. In an AA trial, 50 staff saved an average of 10% on their weekly fuel bills after a week of following eco-driving advice, and the biggest saving was 33%. Smoother driving, the right tyre pressures and taking an unused roof rack off will usually do more than any one myth about when to fill up.

Are loyalty schemes and cashback cards worth it for fuel?

They can be a small help if you were going to use that forecourt or pay that way anyway. They are not a good reason to choose a dearer station, and cashback on a credit card is only a saving if you pay the balance in full. This is not financial advice; read the current terms and only borrow what you can repay.

About this article: it gives general information only. It is not financial advice, and it is not a recommendation of any retailer, fuel, card, account or insurance policy. Figures are from the sources listed, and many of them are national averages or findings from a particular date; individual forecourts and offers vary. Always check the price at the pump. TankTicker does not endorse or criticise any retailer, brand or political party.

Sources

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.