UK Fuel Prices August 2026
Last updated: 30 August 2026 · Source: RAC Fuel Watch
Petrol and diesel both eased back through August, giving up part of July's sharp rise — petrol down around 1.6p, diesel down around 2.4p. Electricity stays unchanged at 26.1p/kWh, since the Ofgem price cap runs quarterly and doesn't reset again until October. Read about the July spike that preceded this for context.
Unleaded petrol
151.9p
per litre · UK average
Diesel
166.2p
per litre · UK average
What August 2026 fuel prices mean per mile
| Fuel type / MPG | p/mile | Annual cost (10k mi) |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol — 50 MPG (efficient) | 13.8p | £1381 |
| Petrol — 40 MPG (average) | 17.3p | £1726 |
| Petrol — 30 MPG (older/SUV) | 23.0p | £2302 |
| Diesel — 60 MPG (efficient) | 12.6p | £1259 |
| Diesel — 50 MPG (average) | 15.1p | £1511 |
| EV — home charging (26.1p/kWh, 3.5 mi/kWh) | 7.5p | £746 |
| EV — overnight tariff (7p/kWh, 3.5 mi/kWh) | 2.0p | £200 |
| EV — public rapid only (79p/kWh, 3.5 mi/kWh) | 22.6p | £2,257 |
Context: a quieter month after July's spike
After petrol and diesel both jumped sharply in July, August brought a partial pullback rather than a return to earlier levels — petrol settled at 151.9p/litre and diesel at 166.2p/litre, still well above where they started the summer. Electricity prices didn't move at all this month: the Ofgem price cap that took effect on 1 July runs through the full third quarter, so the 26.1p/kWh standard rate holds until the next reset on 1 October.
With fuel easing slightly and electricity flat, the home-charging EV saving versus a 40 MPG petrol car has narrowed a little from July's wide gap but remains substantial — still comfortably over £900 a year at 10,000 miles for a driver on the standard tariff, and considerably more on an overnight rate.
Local fuel prices vary significantly
As always, the UK averages above mask real regional variation. Supermarket forecourts in major urban centres typically undercut the national average by 5–10p/litre, while rural and motorway service forecourts typically charge 10–20p/litre more.
The CMA Fuel Finder tool, which powers the local fuel price data on this site, lets you see current prices at forecourts near any UK postcode.
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