What is the best day and time to buy petrol and diesel?
Is there a cheapest day of the week to fill up? What the data shows about UK fuel price patterns and what to do instead of chasing the calendar.
Drivers often ask for a magic day. In the UK, daily average price moves are usually small compared with the gap between stations, so where you buy matters more than when.
What to look at
- Our weekly and monthly fuel price reports show which weekday was cheapest on average.
- When oil prices are rising, buying sooner usually beats waiting; when they are falling, forecourts are slow to pass on cuts, so prices lag.
- Prices at the same station can change several times a day.
A better rule
Fill up when you are at about a quarter of a tank at the cheapest convenient station, rather than running low and being forced into a motorway stop. Use the map to check prices around you.
Is there a cheapest day?
Pump-price studies in the UK have occasionally found small patterns by day of the week, but they are inconsistent from one period to the next, and much smaller than the difference between stations. A driver who picks the cheaper of two nearby forecourts will save more than one who tries to time the week. We publish our own weekly and monthly changes in fuel price reports, which show how little most weeks move.
What does move prices
- Wholesale price changes take days to reach the pump when prices are rising and often longer when they fall (see rockets and feathers).
- Competition. A station may cut its price when a rival opens nearby or lowers theirs.
- Holidays. Retailers know demand is higher before bank holidays and school holidays and may raise prices on those weekends.
Practical advice
- Do not let the tank run to empty before shopping around; fill when the tank is about a quarter full and you have time to choose.
- If the news says prices are about to rise because of an event, a fill-up today might save a little, but it is rarely worth a big detour.
- If prices have just fallen sharply in the news, wait a few days. Local pump prices often lag behind the fall.
- Whatever the day, compare stations on the map first.
What about time of day?
In the UK, retailers change prices at any time, and unlike some countries there is no daily pattern that applies everywhere. Prices in our data show the date of each price change so you can see how recent it is.
Tracking the trend yourself
The trends page shows the national average for each fuel over time. If the line has been rising for several weeks you gain little by waiting; if it has just turned downward, local prices are likely to follow within days. This is general guidance and not a forecast.
Frequently asked questions
Is Monday the cheapest day for fuel?
There is no reliable rule. Daily differences are small; the station you choose makes a much bigger difference.
Should I fill up before a bank holiday?
Prices sometimes edge up around holiday weekends, but the effect is small and uneven. A cheaper station is a more reliable saving.