Rising petrol prices from Middle East war cost drivers billions – Here’s how you can save on fuel

Motorists have paid out £4billion in higher petrol and diesel prices following the war in the Middle East.

Surging fuel prices have left UK drivers paying £3billion more for diesel and £1 billion more for petrol since the Iran conflict escalated at the end of February, according to analysis by the RAC Foundation.

Fuel costs remain high, meaning millions of drivers are still feeling the squeeze at the pumps.

However, you can drive (ahem) down fuel costs with a few easy moves...

What is happening to petrol and diesel prices?

Oil prices — a key driver of petrol and diesel costs — have fallen slightly from recent highs, after President Donald Trump announced a peace agreement between the US and Iran earlier this week.

However, UK pump prices remain high with petrol at 155.9p per litre and diesel at 176.7p per litre, according to the RAC.

Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, warned that fuel prices are unlikely to fall quickly, even after the peace deal.

He said: "Whilst oil prices have eased back from their recent highs, pump prices are still far above where they were before the bombs started dropping,” he said.
“Tens of millions of UK drivers will be paying the price of this war for weeks, or more likely months, to come.”

In some respite for drivers an increase to fuel duty set to come in later this year has been postponed to next year.

How to save money on petrol and diesel

With petrol prices staying high, drivers can cut costs by following a few simple tips:

The easiest way to save at the pump is to find the cheapest petrol stations near you. Prices change daily, so don’t rely on the same forecourt being the cheapest.

Use apps such as PetrolPrices or MyRAC, then simply enter your postcode to compare daily fuel prices nearby.

You could also consider Costco if you have one nearby with a forecourt. Costco fuel prices are often cheaper than standard forecourts. Membership to the wholesaler starts from around £42 a year and can quickly pay for itself if you drive regularly.

Cut fuel use with simple car changes

Improving your car’s efficiency can lower your petrol and diesel usage.

First, remove unnecessary weight from your boot and avoid carrying heavy items unless needed.

This stops the engine having to work as hard.

Make sure your tyres are at the correct pressure as you’ll also use more fuel with underinflated wheels.

Keeping windows up can also help increase fuel efficiency.

Driving tips to reduce petrol costs

Speeding up and frequently breaking burns through far more fuel than driving at a steady speed.

Looking at the road ahead and taking your foot off the accelerator earlier when you see traffic can help cut down on breaking.

Shifting into higher gears when you can will also use less fuel.

It can be worth switching the engine off if you’re in standstill traffic for more than a minute.

Check out Google maps for the most fuel-efficient routes to your destination.

Can supermarket loyalty schemes save you money on fuel?

You shouldn’t stay loyal to a petrol station because of the loyalty scheme – savings from hunting out the cheapest pump price will outweigh the value of points.

However, it is worth joining the schemes of any petrol stations you do visit.

Here's what's on offer

• Sainsbury’s / Esso: Collect one Nectar point per litre - you can also redeem 300 points for 5p off per litre

• Tesco: Earn one Clubcard point for every two litres of fuel

• BP: Collect points through the BPme rewards scheme