UK diesel reaches a record 199.18p a litre as the US considers restricting exports

Note: UK pump prices below are averages in pence per litre; US figures are in US dollars per gallon.

At a glance

What the record diesel price costs UK drivers

The average UK diesel price reached 199.18p a litre on 28 September 2026, according to the RAC. That is the highest level recorded in the UK and edges above the previous record of 199.09p set on 25 June 2022.

For drivers, the immediate issue is the cost of simply keeping a vehicle running. The RAC says filling a 55-litre family car with diesel now costs about £110. Petrol is cheaper, but still expensive, with the average standing at 174.13p a litre on the same day.

The scale of the increase is clearer when compared with prices earlier in the year. The RAC says diesel averaged 142.38p a litre on 28 February 2026. Since then it has risen by 56.8p a litre, or 39.9 per cent. Petrol has risen by 41.3p a litre over the same period, an increase of 31.1 per cent.

That matters particularly for households covering high mileages and for small fleets where fuel is a regular operating cost rather than an occasional purchase. Simon Williams, the RAC head of policy, described the record diesel price as a financial blow to households and businesses.

The RAC attributes the pressure to disruption in global oil supplies caused by the conflict between the United States and Iran, along with the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Those are international supply pressures, so individual UK drivers cannot control the main forces pushing wholesale fuel costs around.

What drivers can control is how much fuel they use and how often they buy it. Avoiding unnecessary journeys, combining trips where practical and keeping routine vehicle maintenance up to date are sensible ways to reduce fuel use. For fleets, reviewing routes and unnecessary mileage can also help contain costs without trying to guess where prices will go next.

Why talk of a US diesel export ban matters

The second issue is not a policy that has happened, but one that is being considered in the United States. CNBC reported on 28 September that Donald Trump said the US was thinking very seriously about restricting diesel exports. He said the administration was examining the idea and may act.

Earlier in the month, Trump had said a decision would be made quickly one way or another. US Energy Secretary Chris Wright has said the White House is considering restrictions rather than necessarily imposing an outright ban. CNBC also reported that Politico had said the administration was preparing a plan for a 90-day diesel export ban.

The distinction is important: no US restriction or ban exists yet. Benedict George, head of European product pricing at Argus Media, stressed that there is currently no measure, that it is unclear whether there will be one at all, and that even the form of any possible measure remains uncertain.

George also said oil traders in Europe mostly doubt that the United States will restrict diesel exports. He described the measures under discussion as short term, lasting two or three months at the absolute most if something were introduced.

Even so, the reason UK and European fuel markets are watching the discussion is the role of US supply. George said the United States has supplied about half of Europe’s diesel imports over the last couple of months. He said some form of restriction on US diesel exports would likely push European diesel prices and the premium over crude to a new unprecedented level.

Why a restriction could have complicated effects

The argument for restricting exports is connected to high diesel prices in the United States. CNBC reported that average US diesel prices were around $6.50 a gallon on the Friday, just below the record high of $6.53 reached on 22 September.

But analysts cited by CNBC warned that restricting exports could have effects beyond the US diesel market. Commodity strategists at Morgan Stanley wrote that a US export restriction would probably lower US diesel prices initially, but could create adverse effects further through the system.

They said diesel prices would be higher globally and warned of a possible feedback loop into US gasoline prices as refineries adjusted their runs. Trump himself acknowledged that the measure could lead to some increase in gasoline prices for cars while saying the administration was looking at the issue seriously.

The American Petroleum Institute has opposed restrictions. Its chief executive, Mike Sommers, said limiting US energy exports would compound the problem, worsen refining challenges and ultimately hurt consumers. His position was that the response should be more supply and greater flexibility rather than new restrictions.

There are also wider strains on diesel supply. George told CNBC that Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries have made diesel the biggest problem for the global oil system, whereas it had previously been one of several major problems.

For a UK driver, none of this produces a dependable forecast for the price displayed at a filling station. It identifies another potential source of supply pressure at a time when UK diesel is already at a record, but the eventual effect depends first on whether the US introduces any restriction at all and, if it does, what form it takes.

What UK drivers and small fleets can do now

The practical response is to manage costs that are already real rather than react to a policy that may never happen. Diesel at 199.18p a litre is a current expense. A US export restriction remains a possibility.

There is no basis for panic-buying fuel. Nobody can reliably forecast the next move in UK pump prices from the information available, and filling earlier than necessary simply because prices might rise is still a bet on an uncertain outcome.

Drivers can instead concentrate on straightforward fuel management. Planning journeys, removing avoidable trips and keeping an eye on routine vehicle condition can help reduce consumption. Small fleet operators can also examine mileage patterns, route duplication and unnecessary vehicle use, because reducing litres consumed directly limits exposure to high pump prices.

Government policy could also affect the eventual bill. Williams said the government should reduce fuel duty further or lower VAT. He also warned that another 5p a litre will be added to pump prices by the spring if the current duty cut is allowed to expire.

That warning is separate from the possible US export action. One concerns domestic taxation and the other concerns international fuel supply. Both can influence what drivers ultimately pay, but neither provides a certain prediction of future pump prices.

For now, the clearest facts are that UK diesel has passed its previous record, diesel has risen sharply since February, and the US administration is considering an action that European fuel-market specialists say could put additional pressure on diesel prices if it is introduced. Until a US decision is made, drivers and fleets are better served by treating any specific prediction about the next pump price with caution.

How pump prices feed through into what people actually buy is covered in our look at fuel prices and car buying, and the running-cost comparison in EV repair costs versus petrol.