UK diesel price surge to cost van drivers £2.5bn extra in 2026

Record diesel prices, driven by refinery disruptions in the Middle East and Russia, are set to add £2.5bn to UK van and pickup owners' fuel bills this year, with average costs rising from £1,294 to £1,965. The analysis fuels political pressure on the UK government to cancel a planned fuel duty increase. The core claim is based on Guardian-commissioned analysis, but the exact cost and price trajectory depend on volatile global fuel markets.