Petrol and diesel prices are both coming down. At the same forecourts, petrol drivers are seeing more of the benefit.
I compared the prices reported at 3,554 forecourts that had usable prices for both regular petrol and standard diesel. Between the close of 17 October and 4 November, petrol fell by an average of 3.84p a litre at those sites. Diesel fell by 1.46p.
The difference shows up clearly when you look at each forecourt:
| What happened to the two prices | Forecourts |
|---|---|
| Both fell | 2,745 |
| Petrol fell, but diesel stayed level or rose | 612 |
| Diesel fell, but petrol stayed level or rose | 32 |
| Neither fell | 165 |
Most forecourts in the sample cut both prices. But petrol fell without a matching diesel cut at 19 times as many sites as the reverse.
For a 55-litre fill at this group's average prices, the petrol saving since 17 October is about £2.11. The diesel saving is about 80p. Despite the falls, 549 forecourts in the sample still had standard diesel at £2 a litre or more at the close of 4 November.
What this means for drivers
The government's weekly fuel price figures also show both fuels easing. Fuel Finder's Price Pulse shows petrol falling faster over the latest completed week. Those national measures use different samples and dates. Comparing both fuels at the same sites shows what the difference looks like on individual forecourt price boards.
Oil prices have moved sharply this week, but it is too early to say what that will mean at a particular UK pump. The International Energy Agency has warned that global diesel supply remains tight. That is market context, not proof of why any one retailer changed one price and left another alone.
A petrol cut on a forecourt sign does not tell you what has happened to its diesel price. Check the price for the fuel you actually use, and compare nearby stations before making a trip.
How I checked
I compared each site's last recorded price at the close of 17 October and 4 November 2026. The sample includes currently active forecourts with valid locations, usable E10 and standard B7 prices, and source timestamps for both fuels within the previous 14 days. B10 fallback prices are excluded. Each site counts once; these are reported pump prices, not a measure of fuel sold.
Fuel Finder's retained history records price changes rather than a new observation from every station every day. The last known price is carried forward until another change is recorded. Current station eligibility selects the sample; historical station status is not fully reconstructed. A stricter check requiring both current prices to have been reported within seven days showed the same pattern: 391 petrol-only cuts against 20 diesel-only cuts across 2,229 matched sites. Sample checked at 12:58 GMT on 5 November 2026. The figures describe that dated sample and can differ from Fuel Finder's changing live index. See the methodology.