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Petrol and diesel drivers to see major fuel station changes ‘in spring’ after Rachel Reeves announcement

Petrol and diesel drivers across the country will soon benefit massively from a new scheme designed to protect motorists from expensive fuel prices at forecourts.

Petrol and diesel drivers have long been hammered at the fuel pumps, with experts accusing supermarkets and major retailers of failing to pass on savings to motorists.

At present, drivers are paying 134.67p for unleaded petrol and 143.59p for diesel, with both fuel prices fluctuating massively over the last 12 months.

The “Fuel Finder” scheme is finally set to launch in the UK, with drivers able to see how high petrol and diesel prices are in their local area, after confirmation from Chancellor Rachel Reeves in the recent Autumn Budget.

A Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) spokesperson told GB News that the Fuel Finder scheme would have access to the scheme soon.

They said: “We are launching Fuel Finder to help consumers compare fuel prices more easily, encourage competitive pricing among retailers, and drive down costs at the petrol pump.

“We expect motorists to benefit from access to near-real time data on fuel prices in the spring.”

Estimates suggest that families could save up to £89 over the next year with the new Fuel Finder scheme, alongside the extension of the 5p per litre fuel duty cut.

Petrol station and an empty fuel tank

Separate modelling from the Government states that drivers could see savings of between one and six pence per litre every time they visit the filling station.

Filling stations are already being encouraged to register with the Fuel Finder scheme, with all forecourts needing to be registered within weeks.

Businesses must report their prices if they run a petrol station of any size in the UK, operate a chain or franchise, manage unmanned or automated stations or sell fuel as part of another business.

Any person or business that operates multiple sites must be individually registered and compliant under the new regulations.

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Prices do not need to be reported if someone only sells fuel business-to-business, sells fuel in jerry cans, only sells red diesel for agricultural use, or operate HGV depot sales based on pre-arranged logistics.

Fuel court operators must register all forecourts in their operation, update fuel prices within 30 minutes of a price change and update the “amenities and facilities” at the forecourt within three days of any change.

Those impacted by the new changes must register all forecourts before price reporting requirements begin on Monday, February 2, 2026.

Any new fuel forecourts that open after February 2, 2026, must be registered with the Fuel Finder scheme within seven days of starting to sell fuel.

Fuel prices

Forecourts will also be required to alert drivers to the unavailability of fuel within 30 minutes, as the Government looks to crack down on fuel shortages which have blighted drivers in recent years.

Support for the Fuel Finder scheme has grown dramatically in recent years, especially as external factors, including global conflicts, continue to impact petrol and diesel drivers for motorists.

Simon Williams, head of policy at the RAC, recently noted that drivers were not receiving a fair price at the pumps as falling oil costs were not being passed on.

He added: “We hope that 2026 will see more competitive pump prices on the back of the Government’s Fuel Finder scheme going live at the start of February and increasing competition.”


LP Staff Writers

Writers at Lord’s Press come from a range of professional backgrounds, including history, diplomacy, heraldry, and public administration. Many publish anonymously or under initials—a practice that reflects the publication’s long-standing emphasis on discretion and editorial objectivity. While they bring expertise in European nobility, protocol, and archival research, their role is not to opine, but to document. Their focus remains on accuracy, historical integrity, and the preservation of events and individuals whose significance might otherwise go unrecorded.

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