What we are asking for
Our Public Policy Demands
These are campaign demands — our position, not established fact or government policy. We've tried to be explicit about what each demand would actually require.
The items below are Fuel Crisis England's own campaign demands — clearly presented as FCE's requests, not established government policy or verified fact. Government does not control every part of the price at the pump: global oil markets, exchange rates, refining, wholesale markets, distribution and retail competition all matter. But Government does directly control Fuel Duty policy, and can make decisions about taxation, regulation and transparency. We've tried to be explicit about what each demand would actually require.
Demand 1 — Fuel Duty
Keep Fuel Duty Under Review
FCE calls on Government to keep Fuel Duty under review and consider whether further relief is appropriate while motorists and businesses face high transport costs.
- Fuel Duty is a government-set tax — Government can change the rate through policy and legislation.
- The current rate, previous rate, and any officially confirmed future changes are shown below, sourced directly to GOV.UK and legislation.gov.uk.
- We do not state that any future tax reduction is guaranteed — only officially confirmed changes are shown as such.
- Any further relief would need to be weighed against public finances and other spending priorities.
The current position, verified
52.95p/litre
Current rate, in force since 15 June 2026
57.95p/litre
Previous rate, 23 March 2011 to 23 March 2022
Officially confirmed future changes:
- Announced future rate55.95pfrom 1 January 2027
- Announced future rate57.95pfrom 1 March 2027
Source: GOV.UK / legislation.gov.uk — full history on our Fuel Duty & Tax page.
Demand 2 — Transparency
Show Motorists Where The Money Goes
People should be able to understand why they are paying the price they see at the pump.
- Clearer public information about wholesale prices.
- Clearer public information about pump prices.
- Clearer public information about Fuel Duty and VAT.
- Clearer public information about retailer margins where available.
- Clearer public information about regional price differences.
- Clearer public information about competition and supply-chain costs.
Demand 3 — Competition & Margins
Investigate The Evidence
We do not automatically accuse retailers of profiteering. We call for appropriate scrutiny where evidence indicates unusual margins, spreads or pricing behaviour — and we link directly to what the regulator has actually found.
- The CMA's own Enhanced Road Fuel Monitoring findings are shown below, not our own claims.
- Wholesale prices, pump prices, retailer margins and retail spreads all matter, and each can move independently.
- High margins in a single period do not, by themselves, prove unfair pricing.
- Let the evidence speak for itself — see the real data below.
Latest CMA margin data
11.2p
All retailers, June 2026
10.4p
Supermarkets, June 2026
12p
Non-supermarkets, June 2026
Source: CMA Enhanced Road Fuel Monitoring report, August 2026, via GOV.UK — full data on our Why Is Fuel So Expensive? page.
Demand 4 — Exceptional Profits
Examine The Options
Where evidence indicates exceptional profits during a cost-of-living crisis, we call on Government and relevant regulators to examine whether any policy response is appropriate.
- Policymakers can consider mechanisms such as windfall taxes, excess-profit taxation, temporary targeted measures, or additional transparency requirements.
- No single mechanism is automatically correct — each carries trade-offs for investment, energy security, consumer prices and legal design.
- Any measure would need to distinguish UK-specific activity from global company profits.
- We do not present one mechanism as the obvious answer — see the full explainer below.
Demand 5 — Protect Essential Motorists
Support People Who Depend On Their Vehicles
We ask Government to assess the impact of fuel costs on people who have limited practical alternatives to driving.
- Commuters without practical access to public transport.
- Delivery drivers and logistics operators.
- Taxi and private-hire drivers.
- Tradespeople travelling between jobs.
- Carers and home-visiting workers.
- Rural motorists, small businesses, and people who depend on a vehicle for work.
- No single support scheme is automatically correct — this requires proper policy design and a fair definition of who qualifies.
Demand 6 — Publish The Data
Show The Public The Numbers
FOLLOW THE MONEY. SHOW THE EVIDENCE.
- Transparent publication of Fuel Duty receipts.
- Relevant VAT information.
- Fuel-price and wholesale-price trends.
- Retailer margins where available.
- Competition evidence and regional price differences.
- Policy impact assessments.
A clear explainer
Can the Government Freeze Fuel Duty?
57.95p
Pre-2022 base rate
52.95p
Current rate
55.95p
From 1 January 2027
Freeze
Our campaign demand — not government policy
- Fuel Duty is set by government policy, not by a fixed formula or natural law.
- The Chancellor and HM Treasury play a central role in proposing rate changes.
- Changes are normally announced through fiscal policy events (Budgets, Autumn Statements) and implemented under the relevant legal framework — usually a statutory instrument or Finance Act provision.
- Parliament and public-finance processes may be involved, depending on how the change is implemented.
- A freeze is a policy choice, not something that happens automatically — it requires a decision to maintain the existing rate rather than let a scheduled increase take effect.
- A freeze does not necessarily reduce the underlying wholesale price of fuel — it only prevents or delays a tax-rate increase for the period covered.
Another explainer
Can Government Cap Profits During a Crisis?
Neutral, evidence-based options — we don't claim any one will definitely work.
Windfall tax
- What it means
- A one-off or temporary additional tax on profits considered unexpectedly high due to external circumstances, rather than a company's own decisions.
- Who could be affected
- Typically targeted at a specific sector (e.g. energy companies) rather than the whole economy.
- Legal process
- Requires new tax legislation, usually introduced at a Budget or Finance Bill and passed by Parliament.
- Possible benefits
- Can raise revenue specifically tied to a period of unusually high sector profit, which government could direct toward support measures.
- Possible risks
- Could affect investment decisions, including in future energy supply; companies may adjust pricing or investment plans in response.
- What evidence would be needed
- Clear definition of what counts as a 'windfall' versus ordinary profit, and evidence the profit arose from external circumstances rather than normal business performance.
A neutral policy-options guide
What Can Government Actually Change?
Documented areas where government has policy control — and the real constraints on changing them.
Fuel Duty
- What it is
- A fixed tax charged per litre on petrol and diesel, set by the UK Government.
- Who controls it
- HM Treasury sets the rate; changes are typically announced at a Budget or Autumn Statement and require legislation.
- What has happened historically
- The rate has been held or cut in recent years, including a temporary 5p/litre cut introduced in March 2022 and subsequently extended. GOV.UK has also published confirmed future increases.
- Current policy
- 52.95 pence per litre, with a confirmed increase to 55.95p from January 2027 and 57.95p from March 2027.
VAT
- What it is
- A percentage-based tax charged on most goods and services, including road fuel.
- Who controls it
- HM Treasury and Parliament set the UK VAT framework and standard rate through legislation.
- What has happened historically
- Road fuel for private motoring has consistently been charged at the standard rate rather than a reduced or zero rate.
- Current policy
- Standard rate of 20% applies to petrol and diesel.
Competition policy
- What it is
- Rules and monitoring intended to keep the fuel retail market competitive and prevent unfair pricing practices.
- Who controls it
- The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), an independent regulator, with powers set by Parliament.
- What has happened historically
- The CMA has carried out road fuel market studies and published ongoing monitoring reports on retailer margins and regional pricing.
- Current policy
- The CMA continues enhanced monitoring of the road fuel market, publishing regular reports.
Consumer protection
- What it is
- Legal protections and investigatory powers relating to how businesses treat consumers, including pricing transparency.
- Who controls it
- Parliament sets consumer protection law; the CMA and other regulators can investigate and enforce it.
- What has happened historically
- Consumer protection law applies generally across markets, including fuel retail, and regulators can investigate specific practices where concerns are raised.
- Current policy
- Existing consumer protection and competition law continues to apply to fuel retailers.
Cost-of-living support
- What it is
- Targeted financial support measures government can introduce for households facing cost pressures.
- Who controls it
- HM Treasury and the Department for Work and Pensions, subject to Budget decisions and legislation.
- What has happened historically
- Government has introduced various cost-of-living support measures in recent years, separate from Fuel Duty policy itself.
- Current policy
- See GOV.UK for current cost-of-living support schemes, which change over time.
Taxation more broadly
- What it is
- The wider tax system, including income tax, fuel duty, VAT and other levies that affect household budgets.
- Who controls it
- Parliament, through legislation typically introduced at Budgets by HM Treasury.
- What has happened historically
- Tax policy changes generally go through a Budget process, parliamentary scrutiny, and legislation before taking effect.
- Current policy
- See HM Treasury Budget documents for the current tax policy position.