Fuel prices made a striking contribution to the UK's September inflation figures. According to the Office for National Statistics, motor fuel prices were 29.8% higher than a year earlier, up from a 23.0% annual rise in August. Transport, particularly motor fuels, made the largest upward contribution to the change in the annual inflation rate.
That describes September. It does not mean prices are still rising at the same pace today.
In Fuel Finder's latest completed weekly report, covering the week to 18 October, the average reported petrol price fell 0.4p per litre to 173.9p. Diesel fell 0.6p to 198.8p. Those changes compare the same forecourts at both ends of the week, with each site counted once.
Both statements can be true: drivers experienced a sharp rise over the year measured by the ONS, while forecourt prices have eased slightly more recently. A weekly fall of 0.4p saves just 22p on a 55-litre petrol fill. It does not undo months of higher bills.
Where drivers may find a bigger difference
The national movement is useful context, but the choice of forecourt can matter more on the day you fill up. In the same Fuel Finder weekly report, supermarket petrol averaged 2.6p per litre less than other measured stations, equivalent to about £1.43 on 55 litres. Motorway petrol carried a 20.0p premium, or roughly £11 on that fill.
Those are group averages, not a promise that every supermarket is cheapest or every motorway stop can be avoided. The practical check is to compare prices at forecourts you can conveniently use, including any extra driving needed to reach them.
There are also reasons not to assume the recent easing will continue. The International Energy Agency reported on 21 October that disrupted routes and scarce tanker capacity have sharply increased the cost of moving crude oil and refined products. It says sustained freight pressure could constrain refiners and add pressure to fuel supply. That is a supply risk, not a prediction of the next UK pump price.
For now, the honest picture is mixed: September's inflation data records the scale of the earlier rise, while recent reported prices show modest relief. Neither national figure tells you what your next fill-up must cost. Compare nearby reported prices before you travel.
About the figures
The ONS inflation measure and Fuel Finder's forecourt averages cover different periods and use different methods. The 29.8% figure is not a measure of the increase in every driver's fuel bill. Fuel Finder's weekly averages give each included forecourt equal weight; they do not measure litres sold or prices actually paid. The 18 October weekly figures are frozen at publication, so they may differ from the latest reported price index.