What is the National Petrol Price Index?
It is our weighted average of petrol and diesel prices across 4,500+ UK forecourts, designed to show the true 'temperature' of the fuel market.
How is it calculated?
We take live price reports, remove anomalies, and calculate a mean average. We weigh it by station density to prevent rural outliers skewing the number.
Why is your average different to RAC/AA?
Methodology varies. We use real-time user-generated and feed data. The RAC/AA rely on specific fuel card data samples. Usually we are within 0.5p of each other.
What causes the index to rise?
Brent Crude oil prices are the biggest factor (dollar exchange rate matters too). When oil goes up, pump prices follow... eventually.
What is 'Rocket and Feather' pricing?
The phenomenon where prices shoot up like a rocket when oil rises, but float down like a feather when oil drops. Retailers hold on to margins.
What is the Wholesale vs Retail gap?
The difference between what the supermarket buys fuel for and what they sell it for. A gap of >10p usually means drivers are being overcharged.
Is checking the index useful for me?
Yes. If the index is dropping sharply, wait a few days to fill up. If it's spiking, fill up today before your local station raises prices.
How historically high are prices now?
Prices peaked in summer 2022 (Russia/Ukraine crisis). Current levels are lower but still historically high compared to the 2010s.
Does fuel duty change often?
No. It has been frozen at 52.95p (plus 5p cut) for over a decade. Changes only happen at Budget events.
What is the 'supermarket margin'?
Traditionally supermarkets took 3-5p profit per litre. Recently, investigations show this has crept up to 6p-10p, costing drivers millions.
Can I download this historical data?
Not yet. We provide the visual graph and current index snapshot. Detailed CSV history is a planned feature for analysts.
Does the index cover Northern Ireland?
Yes. Our UK index includes England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland data points.
Why is diesel falling slower than petrol?
Global diesel stocks are tighter (used for heating/industry/military). This keeps the wholesale floor higher than petrol.
Will prices ever go back to £1.00?
Unlikely. Inflation, taxes, and oil extraction costs mean £1/litre is below the break-even point for the supply chain.
How often does the index update?
The headline figure on this page updates every morning at 6am with the latest consolidated data from the previous day.
Is this inflation adjusted?
No. These are nominal pump prices (what you actually pay at the till). Real-terms prices would look different.
Does electric car adoption affect prices?
Long term, yes. As fuel demand drops, stations may raise margins to survive on lower volume, potentially increasing unit prices.
What is the 'Retailer Margin'?
The money left to pay staff, rent, and profit after buying the fuel and paying tax. It is usually just a few pence per litre.
Why do you track Brent Crude?
Brent is the benchmark oil price for Europe. It correlates most closely with UK wholesale petrol costs.
Is this index official government data?
No. This is independent consumer data. The government (BEIS) publishes its own weekly stats, but they lag behind live reality.