Update: April 10, 2026 – With UK petrol prices averaging £1.57 per litre and diesel at £1.89 per litre, the squeeze is real: a new survey reveals one in seven drivers (14%) are cutting back on food spending just to afford fuel amid the 2026 fuel duty hikes and global supply fears. Simple changes like dropping motorway speeds from 80mph to 70mph could save up to 25% on consumption – and hunting down the UK's cheapest pumps, as detailed below, offers even more relief right now.
UK drivers could save as much as 60p per litre just by avoiding motorway service stations. According to the latest UK fuel price comparison, unleaded petrol is as low as 146.9p in Suffolk, while some motorway forecourts are pushing prices to nearly £2 a litre.
Key Facts
- 146.9p: The UK’s cheapest unleaded petrol – spotted at a Co-op on Saxons Way, Halesworth, Suffolk.
- 199.9p: The top end – petrol prices at motorway services in places like Penrith and Toddington.
- 60p: The potential saving per litre when drivers choose supermarkets or local independents over motorway forecourts.
- 189.42p: The current national average for diesel, up almost a third since February due to global pressures.
The UK’s cheapest petrol station revealed – as prices near £2 a litre
Drivers across the UK are paying vastly different prices to fill up their cars. The latest analysis of the FCA fuel price database shows more than a 50p-per-litre difference between the cheapest and most expensive forecourts – proof that shopping around isn’t just smart; it’s essential.
At one end, the Co-op in Halesworth, Suffolk, leads the way at 146.9p per litre. At the other end, motorway service stations are testing patience (and wallets) at just under £2 per litre. It’s a stark reminder that convenience comes at a premium – and a hefty one at that.
Where to find the cheapest fuel right now
There are still bargains to be found, especially away from the motorway. Here are some of the best-value petrol stations currently on record:
The 20 cheapest places to fill up with petrol in the UK
| Rank | Petrol Station | Standard Unleaded Petrol Price (p/litre) | Price Updated |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Our Coop, Saxons Way, Halesworth | 146.9p | Wednesday 1 April |
| 2 | Mapleleaf Express, Hereford Road, Bromyard | 147.6p | Saturday 4 April |
| 3 | Tesco, Bellevue Way, Hartlepool | 147.9p | Wednesday 1 April |
| 4 | Spencers Garage, High Street Messingham, Scunthorpe | 147.9p | Thursday 2 April |
| 5 | Sainsbury's, St Helen Auckland, Bishop Auckland | 147.9p | Monday 6 April |
| 6 | Our Coop, Stowupland, Stowmarket | 147.9p | Friday 3 April |
| 7 | Esso Service Station, London Road, Ipswich | 148.9p | Tuesday 7 April |
| 8 | Esso, Tolworth Broadway, Surbiton | 148.9p | Wednesday 1 April |
| 9 | Jet, Green Man Service Station, Hollybush Hill, London | 148.9p | Monday 6 April |
| 10 | Trago Mills Filling Station, Newton Abbot | 148.9p | Monday 6 April |
| 11 | Esso, Reading Road, Yateley | 148.9p | Wednesday 1 April |
| 12 | Esso, Hartshill Road, Stoke-on-Trent | 148.9p | Wednesday 1 April |
| 13 | Tesco, Skipton Road, Harrogate | 148.9p | Friday 3 April |
| 14 | Jet, Victoria Street, Grimsby | 148.9p | Sunday 5 April |
| 15 | Esso, Bypass Road, Billingham | 148.9p | Wednesday 1 April |
| 16 | Griffiths Garage, Craven Arms | 148.9p | Wednesday 1 April |
| 17 | Grade Filling Station, Post Office Station, Redcar | 148.9p | Thursday 2 April |
| 18 | Asda, Longhill Road, Huddersfield | 148.9p | Saturday 4 April |
| 19 | Southdale Service Station, Market Rasen | 148.9p | Thursday 2 April |
| 20 | Esso, Brixton Road, London | 148.9p | Wednesday 1 April |
Source: FCA
Supermarkets continue to outshine most competitors for affordability. For diesel drivers, the news isn’t as bright, with the national average now at 189.42p. Still, there are exceptions: Telscombe Service Station in Peacehaven is currently offering diesel at 168.9p, proving that a quick search for “cheapest diesel near me” can make a real difference.
The 20 cheapest places to fill up with diesel in the UK
| Petrol Station | Standard Diesel Price (p/litre) | Price Updated |
|---|---|---|
| Telscombe Service Station, South Coast Road, Peacehaven | 168.9p | Saturday 4 April |
| Our Coop, Saxons Way, Halesworth | 176.9p | Wednesday 1 April |
| Our Coop, Harrison Drive, Wirksworth, Derbyshire | 177.9p | Wednesday 1 April |
| Ports Fuels Service Station, Saintfield Road, Lisburn, Northern Ireland | 177.9p | Thursday 2 April |
| Tesco, Skipton Road, Harrogate | 178.9p | Friday 3 April |
| Our Coop, Haddon Road, Bakewell | 178.9p | Thursday 2 April |
| Our Coop, Burley Road, Oakham | 178.9p | Saturday 4 April |
| Our Coop, Huthwaite Road, Suttom, Ashfield, Nottingham | 179.7p | Friday 3 April |
| Jet, Green Man Service Station, Hollybush Hill, London | 179.9p | Monday 5 April |
| Griffiths Garage, Leintwardine, Craven Arms | 179.9p | Wednesday 1 April |
| Circle K, Dundrum Road, Newcastle | 179.9p | Thursday 2 April |
| Circle K, Kilkeel Road, Kilkeel, Northern Ireland | 179.9p | Friday 3 April |
| Bristol Road Service Station, Bristol Road, Gloucester | 179.9p | Friday 3 April |
| Circle K, Station Road, Portstewart, Northern Ireland | 179.9p | Wednesday 1 April |
| Top Stewartson Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland | 179.9p | Wednesday 1 April |
| Grade Filling Station, Post Office Station, Redcar, North Yorkshire | 180.9p | Thursday 2 April |
| Southdale Service Station, Market Rasen, Lincolnshire | 180.9p | Thursday 2 April |
| Tesco, Station Street, Atherstone, North Warwickshire | 180.9p | Friday 3 April |
| Tesco, Newbottle Street, Houghton‑le‑Spring, South Shields | 180.9p | Friday 3 April |
| Tesco, Marcham Road, Abingdon, Oxfordshire | 180.9p | Sunday 5 April |
Why are UK fuel prices so high?
Several factors are driving up costs. Ongoing Middle East tensions, a bumpy global supply chain, and higher wholesale oil prices have created a perfect storm that’s hitting drivers directly at the pump.
Prices can shift daily and vary dramatically between towns, meaning filling up at the first forecourt you see (especially on a motorway) could be costing you far more than necessary.
The motorway rip-off – How you could be paying 60p more per litre
Research shows motorway service stations are consistently the most expensive places to refill. Locations like Penrith and Toddington have been recorded at 199.9p for petrol, while some sites near Glasgow are selling diesel for 209.9p.
To put it into perspective, for the average 55-litre family car, that’s a £33 difference on a single tank compared with the cheapest forecourt in Suffolk.
The 20 most expensive places to fill up with petrol in the UK
| Petrol Station | Standard Unleaded Petrol Price (p/litre) | Price Updated |
|---|---|---|
| Thorn House Filling Station, Penrith, Cumbria | 199.9p | Saturday 4 April |
| Michael Wicks Garage, Elm High Road, Wisbech | 192.9p | Thursday 2 April |
| Chatham Road Service Station, Chatham Road, Maidstone | 189.9p | Thursday 2 April |
| Knutsford Service Area, Northwich Road, Knutsford | 184.9p | Friday 3 April |
| Toddington Service Area, M1, Toddington | 184.9p | Friday 3 April |
| Donington Park Service Area, M1, Derby | 184.9p | Friday 3 April |
| Southwaite Service Area, M6, Carlisle | 184.9p | Friday 3 April |
| Swansea Service Area, M4, Swansea | 184.9p | Friday 3 April |
| Birch Service Area, M62, Heywood | 184.9p | Friday 3 April |
| Chieveley Service Area, M4, Thatcham | 184.9p | Friday 3 April |
| Exeter Service Area, M5, Exeter | 184.9p | Friday 3 April |
| Doncaster Service Area, M18, Doncaster | 184.9p | Friday 3 April |
| Wetherby Service Area, A1, Wetherby, North Yorkshire | 184.9p | Friday 3 April |
| Pease Pottage Service Area, M23, Crawley | 184.9p | Friday 3 April |
| Heston Service Area, M4, Hounslow | 184.9p | Friday 3 April |
| Sawtry Service Area, Great North Road, Huntingdon | 184.9p | Friday 3 April |
| Leigh Delamere Service Area, M4, Chippenham | 184.9p | Friday 3 April |
| Medway Service Area, M2, Gillingham, Kent | 184.9p | Friday 3 April |
| Woolley Edge Service Area, M1, Wakefield, Yorkshire | 184.9p | Friday 3 April |
| Birch Service Area, M62, Heywood, Lancashire | 184.9p | Friday 3 April |
The 20 most expensive places to fill up with diesel in the UK
| Petrol Station | Standard Diesel Price (p/litre) | Price Updated |
|---|---|---|
| Gulf Racetrack Crowwood, Cumbernauld Road, Scotland | 209.9p | Saturday 4 April |
| PGG, Thieves Lane, Shrewsbury, Shropshire | 209.9p | Sunday 5 April |
| PGG, Silvie Way, Forfar, Angus, Scotland | 209.9p | Sunday 5 April |
| Tongue Filling Station, Burrs Stores, Lairg, Scotland | 207.3p | Thursday 2 April |
| Lomondview Filling Station, Main Street, Gartocharn, Scotland | 206.9p | Thursday 2 April |
| Gulf, Broadway Garage, Weston Road, Totland Bay, Isle of Wight | 206.0p | Tuesday 7 April |
| Racetrack, Braeside Services, Chryston, Glasgow, Scotland | 205.9p | Saturday 4 April |
| Racetrack, London Road, Bridgeton, Glasgow, Scotland | 205.9p | Saturday 4 April |
| Racetrack, Autoport Services, Paisley Road, Glasgow, Scotland | 205.9p | Saturday 4 April |
| Racetrack, BP Service Station, Main Street, Rutherglen, Glasgow, Scotland | 205.9p | Saturday 4 April |
| Texaco, Thornton Service Station, Chester Road, Cheshire | 204.9p | Tuesday 7 April |
| Southmuir Services, Lindsay Street, Kirriemuir, Angus, Scotland | 204.5p | Monday 6 April |
| S.T Lane, Endean, Lifton, West Devon | 203.0p | Tuesday 7 April |
| Port Ellen Filling Station, Charlotte Street, Isle of Islay | 203.0p | Saturday 4 April |
| BP, John Clark Way, Rushden, Northamptonshire | 202.9p | Monday 6 April |
| DD Evans & Sons Service Garage, North Road, Lampeter, Wales | 202.9p | Saturday 4 April |
| Achiltibuie Stores, Achiltibuie, Ullapool, Scotland | 201.9p | Monday 6 April |
| Richard Mackay & Sons, Durine, Durness, Lairg, Scotland | 201.5p | Thursday 2 April |
| Gervais Garage, Main Street, Beragh, Omagh, Northern Ireland | 200.9p | Saturday 4 April |
| Scourie Filling Station, The Pumps, Scourie, Lairg, Scotland | 200.9p | Monday 6 April |
The fix? Take a short detour. Pulling off the motorway to a local supermarket or independent garage often saves enough to fund your next coffee stop or, more realistically, part of your next tank.
How to save at the pump
With little sign of prices easing soon, the most cost-effective approach is to plan ahead:
- Use real-time fuel apps like Fuel Finder or RAC Fuel Watch - both now more accurate thanks to new fuel price transparency laws.
- Avoid motorway refills unless absolutely necessary.
- Consider fuel economy when choosing your next car - more efficient petrol, hybrid, or electric models can dramatically cut long-term costs.
It’s clear that high pump prices aren’t going away quickly. But staying alert, informed, and open to fuel-efficient alternatives gives drivers a fighting chance to keep costs down.
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