Diesel has topped £2 a litre, and for those who work from a van, there’s no avoiding the pump.
- UK van drivers are set to pay an extra £2.5bn for diesel this year, with the average van’s annual fuel bill rising from £1,294 to £1,965, according to MoneySuperMarket analysis
- Sole traders and small businesses in trades and delivery are among the most exposed, with calls to scrap a planned fuel duty rise ahead of the Budget on 28 October.
- You can’t control the pump price, but you can control routes, driving habits and how you price jobs.
For sole traders, couriers and tradespeople, the van is both the most important tool and the biggest running cost.
New analysis from MoneySuperMarket suggests that cost is rising fast, with UK van drivers facing an extra £2.5bn in diesel costs in 2026. That’s an increase of £671 per van, per year, for the average driver.
With diesel still around 57p a litre higher than before the Middle East conflict, we look at what’s being asked of the government ahead of the October Budget, and what you can do to protect your margins in the meantime.
Soaring diesel prices are hitting van owners the hardest
The average van’s fuel bill is on course to hit £1,965 this year, up from £1,294 in 2025, according to new analysis from MoneySuperMarket. Based on typical mileage and fuel consumption, that works out as an extra £56 a month per van.
The jump follows diesel prices climbing above £2 a litre on average for the first time this month, up more than 40% since late February.
It’s a trend that’s on track to impact around 3.4 million of self-employed workers across the UK, with roughly one in 10 self-employed traders and couriers currently relying on a van for their job or business.
Fuel is also only one line on the bill. though. Van owners are already juggling insurance, servicing, repairs, tyres, MOTs and vehicle tax, while the self-employed also have to cover tools, materials, software, accountancy fees and their own tax and pension contributions, with no employer to share the load.
Switching isn’t simple either. About 95% of light commercial vehicles still run on diesel, so most van-based businesses have little choice but to keep filling up. And for a sole trader with a fixed-price quote agreed months ago, or a regular client used to the same rate, passing on the extra cost isn’t always easy.
Will the Budget bring relief at the pump?
With the road ahead looking costly, industry groups are urging the government to step in before the Budget on 28 October.
Their main plea? The Road Haulage Association (RHA) wants the planned fuel duty rise, which would add 3p a litre from 1 January and a further 2p from 1 March, to be scrapped. Managing director Richard Smith warned that “a fuel duty hike is a food price hike”, and that many of its members run on margins of around 2%.
The RHA is also calling for a 15p-a-litre rebate for British van, coach and haulage operators. It points out that Spain, France and Italy have already offered help to commercial vehicle businesses, so the UK needs to catch up.
The RAC has suggested other routes. Simon Williams, its head of policy, says the government could extend and increase the existing fuel duty cut, or reduce VAT on fuel, as it has done with domestic electricity. The RAC says diesel is still around 57p a litre higher than before the conflict began.
The government hasn’t yet responded to these pleas, and it’s unlikely anything will be confirmed until the Chancellor delivers the Budget on 28 October. For now, it’s a waiting game for van owners, but there are steps you can take to get back in the driving seat of your finances.
- Compare prices before you fill up – Pump prices can vary heavily between stations, so a fuel price app or fuel card can save you money.
- Plan routes carefully and batch jobs – Grouping jobs by area cuts miles and idling time, which means less diesel burned. Even small changes to your weekly schedule add up.
- Keep your vehicle in good shape – Correct tyre pressure, regular servicing and clearing out unnecessary weight all help your van run more efficiently. Smoother driving helps too.
- Check what you can claim – HMRC’s simplified mileage rate rose from 45p to 55p a mile for the first 10,000 business miles from 6 April 2026, so check whether that or actual costs works out better for you.
