PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
(11 March 2026)

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of freezing fuel duty again in September 2026, in the context of volatility in global oil prices.

Asked by:
Jess Brown-Fuller (Liberal Democrat)

At Budget 2025, the Government extended the 5p-per-litre cut for a further five months, until the end of August this year. The Government has also cancelled the increase in line with inflation for 2026/27. The 5p cut was introduced following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, when prices reached a peak of over £1.90 per litre.

Since Budget 2024, the Government's decisions to freeze fuel duty will save the average motorist over £90 – or 8-11 pence per litre – compared to the plans inherited from the previous government.

As the Chancellor has set out, a rapid de-escalation in the Middle East remains the best way to keep prices low at the pump, but the Government will also take the necessary decisions to help families with the cost of living and protect the public finances.

As with all taxes, the Government keeps fuel duty under review; and any changes will be announced in the usual way.

Answered by:
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