Sarah Coles, head of personal finance at AJ Bell, said: “The looming end to the fuel duty freeze would have loaded extra costs onto drivers at a time when they could ill-afford it. So keeping the freeze in place for the rest of year will avoid adding insult to injury for beleaguered drivers.
“Today’s inflation figures reveal just how much of a toll the war in Iran had taken at the pumps. The spike in the oil price pushed up the cost of a tank of petrol faster than any time since September 2022. The average petrol price was up 16.6% between March and April to 156.8p per litre – its highest since November 2022. While the average diesel price was up 34.1% or 31.3p per litre, to 190p per litre – the highest level since July 2022.
“The duty freeze will help, but it’s not going to be enough if you’re already wrestling with higher prices. Fortunately, you can consider steps to cut your driving costs. One of the best ways to save on fuel is to think carefully about your driving habits, and whether there are alternative ways to travel. When you head out, you can also try to combine short trips, which is more fuel efficient than popping out every time you need something.
“You can improve fuel efficiency too, by doing things like making sure your tyre pressure is correct, driving more smoothly – with less acceleration and braking, and not carrying any unnecessary loads in the car.
“It’s worth using a price comparison tool online. Don’t go out of your way for cheaper petrol, because you’ll soon burn through any savings, but you can try to fill up somewhere cheaper when you’re passing.”
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