UK fuel price: how has it changed over time?

Fuel prices are in the news again as Labour oppose a 3p rise in fuel duty planned for next year. See how average fuel price and tax have changed over time
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Budget petrol
How has UK fuel price and the amount of tax changed over time? Find the data below Photograph: Rui Vieira/PA

Prices of fuel are in the DNA of the economy, not only in the global one but the day to day as well. As the discussion on rising fuel taxes are once again in the spotlight we here at the Datablog thought it was important to revisit the numbers.

Hélène Mulholland
writes today:


Labour will force a Commons vote on Monday to call for a planned 3p hike in fuel duty, which is due to come into force in January, to be delayed for a second time.

But Labour's hopes that some campaigning Tory backbenchers would support its motion and rebel against the government looked set to be dashed as Conservatives hinted they had been told the government would reconsider the rise.

During the period between January and October 2012, the average price of unleaded fuel varied between £1.32 a litre (in July) to £1.42 a litre (in April).

The chart above shows six years worth of fuel data as published by the AA fuel price report. Despite some ups and downs, the chart shows how in the past six years the amount the price has gradually risen and now the UK average fuel price in litres stands at £1.38

After the announcement last month that the UK had emerged from a double dip recession it will be interesting to see what affect will that have on the governments attitude to fuel duty.

The table below shows the UK average fuel prices in litres (unleaded 95 octane) alongside the amount of tax by month. What can you do with this data?

Data summary

UK average fuel price in litres (unleaded 95 octane)

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Month, year
UK AVERAGE Fuel Price in litres (unleaded 95 octane)
Tax, pence
% tax
January 2006 89.4 60.43 67.6
February 2006 90 60.48 67.2
March 2006 90 60.48 67.2
April 2006 94.6 61.21 64.7
May 2006 96.8 61.56 63.6
June 2006 95.9 61.38 64
July 2006 97.5 61.62 63.2
August 2006 98.2 62.06 63.2
September 2006 90.3 60.59 67.1
October 2006 86.6 60.01 69.3
November 2006 86 59.94 69.7
December 2006 88.2 61.48 69.7
January 2007 87.5 61.43 70.2
February 2007 86.9 61.26 70.5
March 2007 89.5 61.67 68.9
April 2007 92.8 62.18 67
May 2007 95.9 62.62 65.3
June 2007 97 62.76 64.7
July 2007 96.7 62.76 64.9
August 2007 96.2 62.72 65.2
September 2007 95.2 62.55 65.7
October 2007 97.7 64.87 66.4
November 2007 101.5 65.47 64.5
December 2007 102.8 65.69 63.9
January 2008 104.3 65.92 63.2
February 2008 104 65.83 63.3
March 2008 106.8 66.22 62
April 2008 108.1 66.48 61.5
May 2008 112.6 67.11 59.6
June 2008 118.2 67.97 57.5
July 2008 119.5 68.12 57
August 2008 113.2 67.24 59.4
September 2008 112.9 67.18 59.5
October 2008 106.4 66.18 62.2
November 2008 94.9 64.44 67.9
December 2008 89.5 63.99 71.5
January 2009 86.6 63.65 73.5
February 2009 90.9 64.18 70.6
March 2009 90.6 64.14 70.8
April 2009 95 64.7 68.1
May 2009 97.7 66.92 68.5
June 2009 102.7 67.58 65.8
July 2009 103 67.67 65.7
August 2009 104.4 67.76 64.9
September 2009 106.3 70.05 65.9
October 2009 105.1 69.89 66.5
November 2009 108.7 70.33 64.7
December 2009 108.3 70.29 64.9
January 2010 111.8 72.78 65.1
February 2010 112.1 72.87 65
March 2010 116.1 73.49 63.3
April 2010 120.5 75.19 62.4
May 2010 121.5 75.33 62
June 2010 118.1 74.76 63.3
July 2010 117.5 74.73 63.6
August 2010 116.5 74.56 64
September 2010 115.2 74.3 64.5
October 2010 117.7 75.68 64.3
November 2010 119.1 75.87 63.7
December 2010 122.1 76.31 62.5
January 2011 128.3 80.32 62.6
February 2011 128.8 80.37 62.4
March 2011 132.9 81.07 61
April 2011 135.8 80.53 59.3
May 2011 136.9 80.77 59
June 2011 136.1 80.57 59.2
July 2011 135.6 80.55 59.4
August 2011 135.7 80.61 59.4
September 2011 135.6 80.55 59.4
October 2011 134.5 80.43 59.8
November 2011 133.7 80.22 60
December 2011 132.5 80.03 60.4
January 2012 133.5 80.23 60.1
February 2012 135 80.46 59.6
March 2012 138.5 81.02 58.5
April 2012 142.5 81.65 57.3
May 2012 138.4 80.96 58.5
June 2012 133.8 80.28 60
July 2012 132.2 79.98 60.5
August 2012 135.5 80.49 59.4
September 2012 140.2 81.32 58
October 2012 138.9 81.12 58.4

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