Fuel prices now show in Google Maps: how to find the cheapest pump

From 8 October 2026, checking the price of fuel in the UK takes one tap: open Google Maps and look at the nearest forecourt. Petrol and diesel prices are pulled from the government's Fuel Finder scheme and refresh in near real time.

What changed at UK forecourts on 8 October 2026?

Google Maps began showing near real-time petrol and diesel prices for individual UK filling stations for the first time.

The launch was announced by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and HM Treasury on the morning of 8 October. Comparing prices used to mean a dedicated app; now it happens inside the map most drivers already have open. Minister for Energy Consumers Polly Billington called it a gamechanger, while Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey conceded it "doesn't fix everything" — bills have risen because of events in the Middle East.

Where do the prices come from and how fresh are they?

From Fuel Finder, the government database that filling stations must update within 30 minutes of any price change.

Fuel Finder was created on a recommendation from the Competition and Markets Authority, which in 2023 found weak competition in the road fuel market. Reporting has been compulsory for every UK forecourt since February 2026, on pain of a fine, and the CMA enforces it. The government says the scheme now covers around 99% of all fuel sold on UK roads.

What do petrol and diesel actually cost right now?

In the week commencing 5 October 2026 the UK average was 174.88 pence a litre for petrol and 199.52 pence a litre for diesel, according to DESNZ figures.

For diesel that is the highest reading in the entire weekly series, which runs back to 2003; the previous peak of 199.22 pence was set on 4 July 2022. A year earlier, on 6 October 2025, petrol stood at 134.76 pence and diesel at 142.92 pence. That is roughly 40 pence a litre more for petrol and almost 57 pence more for diesel in twelve months. Fuel duty has stayed at 52.95 pence a litre throughout, with VAT at 20%. We covered diesel crossing the £2 mark in a separate report.

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Which other apps carry the same data?

Fuel Finder data already feeds Waze, PetrolPrices.com, RAC Fuel Watch, Confused.com, MoneySuperMarket, MoneyHelper, MotorMouth, DriveScore, Fuel Spy, Petrol Savings and the Fuel Finder UK app.

The full list is in the government's driver factsheet, which also notes that more developers are still integrating the feed. The raw data can be downloaded directly, but the format is aimed at developers rather than drivers.

What if the pole sign price differs from the app?

Report the discrepancy to the government through the form on GOV.UK — it is free and takes a couple of minutes.

Stations are legally required to keep their data accurate, and persistent failures can trigger CMA enforcement action. Driver reports are one of the ways the regulator finds out who is not complying.

How much can a driver actually save?

The government estimates around £40 a year for a household with one car.

That is modest: at 174.88 pence a litre a 50-litre tank costs about £87, so a year of savings is roughly half a fill-up. The point of the scheme is less the one-off gain than the pressure on prices — when neighbouring forecourts are visible to each other and to the driver, the local spread narrows. For the rest of what a car costs in the UK — tax, insurance, MOT — see our guide and the full owner cost breakdown.