If you've noticed your fuel bill creeping up over the past few weeks, you're not imagining it. Petrol and diesel prices have risen steadily across the entire UK since late March 2026. But the amount you pay depends heavily on where you live and where you fill up. We've crunched the numbers from over 3,100 stations to show exactly how prices compare across every region.

The National Picture

As of 13 April 2026, the national average for E10 petrol stands at 157.5p per litre, while B7 diesel has climbed to 190.9p per litre. That means diesel drivers are paying a staggering 33.4p more per litre than petrol drivers, a 21% premium.

The national spread tells its own story. The cheapest E10 petrol available in the UK today is 131.9p per litre at a BP station in Scottish Borders, while the most expensive is 184.9p, a gap of 53p per litre. For a 50-litre tank, that's the difference between paying £65.95 and £92.45.

Regional Price Comparison: Where Is Fuel Cheapest?

We tracked E10 petrol prices from 29 March to 13 April across counties in every UK region. Every single area saw prices rise between 5p and 8p over this two-week period, but the starting points and current averages vary significantly.

The Cheapest Region: North East England

County Durham leads the way with the lowest regional average at just 154.6p per litre. The North East has traditionally benefited from lower operating costs and strong competition between local independents. Despite prices rising 5.4p over two weeks, the area remains the most affordable place to fill up in England.

The Most Expensive: Orkney Islands and the South East

At the other end, Orkney Islands tops the table at 164.9p, though with only a single station, there's simply no competition. On the mainland, Warwickshire (159.3p) and Surrey (158.5p) consistently rank among the most expensive, driven by higher land costs, proximity to motorways, and a concentration of premium-brand stations.

Scottish Borders: Competitive but Not an Outlier

Scottish Borders deserves a mention for its competitive pricing, with an average of 151.4p. Stations in the area generally price close to or slightly below the national average, making it one of the more affordable counties in Scotland for filling up.

Diesel: An Even Bigger Regional Gap

Diesel prices show an even steeper climb. In London, B7 diesel rose from 180.1p to 191.5p in just two weeks, an increase of 11.4p, nearly double the petrol increase. The national diesel average of 190.9p means drivers are paying close to the psychologically significant £2-per-litre mark, with many stations in the South East already exceeding it.

Supermarkets vs. Big Brands: Who's Cheapest?

The data clearly shows that where you fill up matters just as much as where you live. Supermarket forecourts consistently undercut the traditional fuel brands by a significant margin.

Asda is the cheapest major brand at 152.4p for E10, while BP is the most expensive at 160.3p, a gap of nearly 8p per litre. Over a year of weekly fill-ups, choosing Asda over BP would save you roughly £208 on petrol alone. The same pattern holds for diesel, where the supermarket-to-premium gap is also around 7-8p.

The Supermarket Advantage

• Asda, Tesco, Sainsburys, and Morrisons all cluster within 1p of each other for E10 (152.4p-153.4p)
• Esso, Shell, and BP cluster 5-8p higher (157.8p-160.3p)
• The gap is consistent across both petrol and diesel
• Supermarkets account for about 1,500 of the 3,100+ stations tracked, nearly half

Price Spread: The Hidden Story

One of the most interesting findings is how the price spread (the gap between the cheapest and most expensive stations in an area) varies dramatically by region.

North Yorkshire has the widest spread at a remarkable 47p (137.9p to 184.9p), meaning two drivers in the same county could pay vastly different amounts. Cardiff, by contrast, has squeezed its spread to just 5.2p (154.7p to 159.9p), showing how competitive urban markets drive price convergence.

Essex has seen its spread narrow from 16.2p to 10.0p over the two weeks, as the cheapest stations raised prices faster than the most expensive ones. This convergence pattern appeared in several regions, suggesting the market is tightening.

What's Driving the Increases?

The consistent 5-8p rise across all regions over two weeks points to wholesale cost increases being passed through to forecourts. This uniform uplift suggests the driver is upstream costs (crude oil and refining margins) rather than local market factors. When price rises vary widely between regions, it typically indicates retailer margin changes; when they're this uniform, it's almost always the wholesale price.

Tips for Saving on Fuel

• Fill up at supermarket forecourts where possible. You'll save 5-8p per litre compared to Shell, BP, or Esso
• Use Look4Petrol to compare prices in your area before filling up
• Avoid motorway services where prices can be 15-20p above the local average
• Consider filling up in the North East or Scottish Borders if you're passing through. Prices are consistently 3-5p below the national average
• Fill up mid-week when more stations report updated prices, giving you better comparison data

Methodology

This analysis is based on price data from 3,106 petrol stations across the UK, collected between 29 March and 13 April 2026. Prices are for standard E10 unleaded petrol and B7 diesel. Regional comparisons use representative counties from each region. All prices shown are in pence per litre. Station counts vary day to day as some sources report on different schedules.