Millions of British van drivers face a combined £2.5bn increase in diesel costs this year, according to an analysis for the Guardian, intensifying pressure on the government to abandon a planned fuel duty rise.
Owners of diesel vans and pickups are expected to spend almost £8.5bn at the pump in 2026, compared with £5.95bn last year, the analysis by Moneysupermarket found. That follows diesel prices climbing to record highs amid a global fuel shortage caused by disruption to refineries in the Middle East and Russia, compounded by the US-Israel war on Iran. The average pump price passed £2 a litre for the first time this month, up more than 40% since late February.
The figures suggest the average van driver's fuel bill could reach £1,965 this year, up from £1,294 in 2025. About 95% of light commercial vehicles still run on diesel, and the van fleet has grown with online shopping, home deliveries and the rising number of self-employed tradespeople.
Industry groups are calling on the chancellor to scrap the planned fuel duty rise, which would add 3p a litre from 1 January and a further 2p from 1 March, after being postponed from September.
Richard Smith of the Road Haulage Association said members run on margins of around 2% and are spending “many thousands extra every week on fuel”. He said the duty rise would be “a hammer blow” and that “a fuel duty hike is a food price hike”. The RHA wants a 15p a litre rebate for British van, coach and haulage operators, similar to help offered in Spain, France and Italy.
The RAC said diesel remains about 57p a litre higher than before the US-Iran conflict, with petrol 42p higher, adding £31 and £23 respectively to the cost of filling a family car. Its head of policy, Simon Williams, said this year is “still set to be the second most expensive year on record for drivers” and urged the government to extend the fuel duty cut or reduce VAT on fuel.