RAC warning as drivers face ‘costly’ extra charge | Tech News

Motorists face a “costly Christmas” in line with the RAC, following recent figures revealing petrol and diesel costs have surged at their sharpest charge since April 2024. The statistics emerged from RAC Fuel Watch.

The knowledge confirmed petrol forecourt prices climbed by 2.17p all through November, pushing the average litre price to 137.17p – the steepest degree witnessed since mid-March 2025. Diesel jumped by 3.84p during the identical period, with the average litre now costing 146.57p, “a determine that drivers have not seen since late August 2024″, in line with the RAC.

The motoring organisation famous this marked essentially the most dramatic month-to-month fuel price increase since April 2024. Supermarket forecourts additionally noticed rises, with unleaded climbing 2.46p to 134.48p and diesel growing 3.6p to 143.08p, although these remained significantly beneath national averages.

The RAC calculated that filling up a typical household petrol vehicle now prices £75.44 – a £1.19 increase from October’s £74.25 – while grocery store clients pay £73.69. Those requiring a full diesel tank face an average invoice of £80.61, representing a £2.11 rise because the month started, or £78.69 at grocery store pumps.

Motorists in Northern Ireland take pleasure in decrease prices than their counterparts throughout the remainder of the UK, with unleaded averaging 129.6p per litre and diesel at 137.7p. With festive season bills looming, the RAC warned the forecourt price hikes would show unwelcome information for drivers.

Year-on-year comparisons show petrol roughly 0.5p per litre increased, while diesel has turn into more than 4p costlier. The current hikes come on the heels of final week’s Budget announcement that fuel responsibility will begin to climb from 52.95p subsequent September, placing an finish to the present 5p fuel responsibility low cost launched in spring 2022. This will lead to increased taxes for drivers of petrol and diesel automobiles.

Simon Williams, RAC head of coverage, mentioned: “Drivers will be disappointed to see prices at the pumps rise so sharply in the run-up to festive period. Not only is it one of the most expensive times of the year, it’s also a time when many of us drive hundreds of miles to celebrate with family and friends over the extended break, making it a costly Christmas on the roads.

“But it is not all gloom, as filling up in the best place may save drivers a lot of money. The best technique to find the most cost effective attainable petrol or diesel is to obtain the myRAC app and use the fuel finder characteristic to find the bottom costs close to you. Every penny actually does rely, as every 1p much less per litre saves round 55p a tank for an average family-size car.”

A spokesperson for Petrolprices.com, which has also analysed recent trends, said: “Unleaded and diesel costs continued to climb all through November, with the average price of a tank of diesel now round £2.80 increased than it was in the beginning of the month. Across November, diesel rose by 4.7ppl, whereas unleaded elevated by practically 3ppl. This occurred regardless of crude oil turning into barely cheaper. Brent closed the month at $63/bbl, down from $64.30/bbl on November 1.

“Drone attacks targeting Russia‘s refining infrastructure sent global refining margins sharply higher, while attacks near the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk disrupted crude loadings. Reducing refining capacity reduces both the demand for crude oil and the supply of refined products.

“According to knowledge from Portland Pricing, wholesale diesel rose by $70/tonne by mid-November, with unleaded up $40/tonne. These increased wholesale prices squeezed retailers’ margins and in the end compelled pump costs increased.

“There is some good news for motorists. Pricing pressures have started to ease, at least for now. On November 30, the number of stations reducing prices on both unleaded and diesel outnumbered those increasing them. This is the first time this has happened in more than three weeks.

“If this trend continues, we must always see the tempo of price rises sluggish, with the chance of precise price reductions within the coming weeks. Retail margins are at the moment above the six-month average, suggesting there’s room for pump costs to melt if wholesale prices proceed to stabilise. This will probably be a welcome reduction after a month of regular will increase.”