Petrol prices reach near-four year high – how much will a full tank cost you now?
Fuel prices have continued to rise as the Iran war has kept the price of oil volatile since the end of February. How can you find the cheapest deal?
Fuel prices are at their highest in almost four years as the Iran war has continued to disrupt oil and gas markets since February.
A litre of petrol now costs 161.67p as of 2 September, according to RAC, the highest since 2022 when prices were easing after an initial shock caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
It is an increase of 28.8p a litre on average and means filling up a car with a 50-litre tank will now cost you around £81.
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Drivers of diesel vehicles are having to contend with even steeper price rises.
The average price of a litre of diesel on 2 September was 183.45p, around 41p more than it was before the conflict, but down from the April peak when a litre of diesel was 49p higher than pre-war levels. It would currently cost around £92 to fill a 50-litre diesel tank.
Similar to what we saw in 2022, oil prices remain high and volatile because of trade disruptions. The destruction of infrastructure and the disruption of trade routes in the Middle East has caused the price of oil to spike, with Brent Crude oil now costing over $94 a barrel.
As petrol and diesel are made by enriching crude oil, meaning when oil prices rise so do fuel prices. The war has brought the price of petrol to far above the five-year low seen at the start of 2026.
But will we see prices fall or can we expect them to rise?
What does turbulence in the oil market mean for petrol prices?
Both petrol and diesel are made by processing oil, meaning any price fluctuations in the oil markets will be reflected in the price of fuel.
A good example of this can be seen in 2022, when oil prices soared in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and countries across Europe, including the UK, restricted the oil supply available to Russia. Petrol prices spiked to 191.43p per litre in July 2022.
This is similar to what is happening now. A constrained global oil supply is leading to price increases for oil derivatives like petrol and diesel in the UK.
The RAC predicts that petrol prices will broadly stay the same for the foreseeable future, forecasting no change. Meanwhile, the price of diesel is expected to rise.
Where can you find the cheapest fuel?
Supermarkets are often the most cost-effective places to fill up your tank as they benefit from economies of scale when buying in bulk, and are especially incentivised to offer a good deal so customers are attracted to their shops.
This, paired with rewards schemes that many run (such as Nectar at Sainsbury's and Tesco Clubcard) mean supermarkets have competitive prices.
To find the best deal, take a look at the government-run Fuel Finder or Petrol Prices.
To keep the cost of refuelling low, you should also try to stay away from the pumps at motorway service stations.
