Real impact
A fuel price is a number. Its impact is personal.
Fuel costs aren't an abstract statistic. They shape household budgets, working hours, and business margins across England.
Photo: Christopher Hilton, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
04Who this affects
Different drivers face different costs
01
Families and households
The school run, weekly shop, and family visits all rely on affordable fuel. Rising prices compete directly with other essential household costs.
Example: a household running two cars for school and work journeys may need to budget significantly more per month than they did a year earlier.
02
Commuters
Drivers without practical access to public transport have no choice but to absorb higher costs simply to get to work.
Example: a commuter driving 40 miles a day has little flexibility to reduce fuel spending without changing jobs or moving house.
03
Delivery drivers
Fuel is one of the largest single costs for delivery work, and price rises can erode already thin margins.
Example: a self-employed courier covering 150 miles a day feels every price rise almost immediately in take-home pay.
04
Taxi and private hire drivers
High daily mileage means taxi and private hire drivers are especially exposed to fuel price volatility.
Example: a taxi driver working long shifts may need to raise fares or absorb the cost, affecting both driver income and passenger prices.
05
Tradespeople
Vans and tools are the backbone of trades work. Fuel costs for travelling between jobs add up quickly across a working week.
Example: an electrician travelling between multiple sites a day may see fuel become one of their largest weekly business expenses.
06
Small businesses
Transport and logistics costs feed into the price of goods and services, putting pressure on small business margins and customers alike.
Example: a small delivery business may face a choice between absorbing rising fuel costs or passing them on to customers.
07
Rural communities
Where public transport is limited, a car is often not optional. Rural drivers frequently travel further for work, healthcare, and shopping.
Example: a rural resident may need to drive 20 miles or more for a hospital appointment with no practical alternative to driving.
08
People who depend on cars for work
For many jobs — care work, sales, mobile services — a car is a basic requirement of employment, not a lifestyle choice.
Example: a home care worker visiting multiple clients a day relies entirely on their car to do their job.
Work it out
Fuel cost calculator
Enter your miles per week, your vehicle's fuel economy, the fuel price, and the number of weeks to estimate your costs.
Fuel type
Starts at the UK average petrol price, week commencing 12 October 2026 (GOV.UK). Change it to your local price.
Only used in your browser to show fuel as a share of your pay. Never sent or stored.
Cost per mile
17.7p
Litres / week
15.2
Per week
£26.56
Per month (average)
£115.11
Per year
£1,381.34
What if petrol rises by 10p a litre?
Your yearly cost would go from £1,381.34 to £1,460.14, an extra £78.80 a year (£1.52 a week). A fall of the same size would save the same amount.
How we calculate this
Litres used = miles ÷ mpg × 4.54609 (the litres in a UK gallon).
Cost = litres × price per litre. Per month is the weekly cost × 52 ÷ 12; per year is the weekly cost × the weeks you drive.
The 10p rise repeats the same sum with the price 10p higher.
Worked example: 100 miles a week at 40 mpg is 100 ÷ 40 × 4.54609 = 11.4 litres. At 175.3p a litre (the latest UK weekly average for petrol) that is £19.92 a week. The numbers in the boxes above are yours to change.
A calculated estimate from the numbers you enter. It doesn't account for driving style, terrain, weather or vehicle condition, and isn't financial advice. Default prices are the latest UK weekly averages from GOV.UK / DESNZ.
Tap the image to sign. This is Fuel Crisis England's own petition, not an official UK Parliament petition.