Where Fuel Costs Most in the UK: The Rural and Island Premium
By Jacky A. · Published 27 Oct 2026 · Figures updated 6 Nov 2026
In brief
The dearest postcode area for unleaded today is the Outer Hebrides postcode area (HS), at 173.1p a litre, 3.7p above the UK average of 169.4p. A 50 litre fill there costs £1.85 more than the average, and £6.25 more than in Northern Ireland, the cheapest area at 160.6p.
Fuel does not cost the same everywhere in the UK. This page compares the average price in each of the 119 postcode areas with at least 8 reporting stations, from the prices every station has reported to the government's Fuel Finder scheme. Motorway service areas are left out, because their prices follow different rules, and so are prices that have not changed for more than 30 days. The UK average used for comparison is computed on the same basis, from the prices collected on 6 Nov 2026.
The dearest areas for unleaded
| Postcode area | Prices | Average | Against UK |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outer Hebrides postcode area (HS) | 10 | 173.1p | +3.7p |
| Telford postcode area (TF) | 24 | 173.0p | +3.6p |
| Dorchester postcode area (DT) | 24 | 172.9p | +3.5p |
| Kirkwall postcode area (KW) | 12 | 172.9p | +3.5p |
| St Albans postcode area (AL) | 26 | 172.6p | +3.2p |
| Chelmsford postcode area (CM) | 73 | 172.6p | +3.2p |
| Paisley postcode area (PA) | 43 | 172.6p | +3.2p |
| Perth postcode area (PH) | 37 | 172.6p | +3.2p |
| Portsmouth postcode area (PO) | 74 | 172.6p | +3.2p |
| Stockport postcode area (SK) | 60 | 172.6p | +3.2p |
The cheapest areas
| Postcode area | Prices | Average | Against UK |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Ireland | 464 | 160.6p | −8.8p |
| Wakefield postcode area (WF) | 70 | 165.2p | −4.2p |
| Galashiels postcode area (TD) | 23 | 166.0p | −3.4p |
| Bradford postcode area (BD) | 54 | 167.2p | −2.2p |
| Newcastle upon Tyne postcode area (NE) | 127 | 167.5p | −1.9p |
The BT postcode area covers the whole of Northern Ireland, so its row is the average of a whole nation of 464 reporting stations, not of one town.
The Highlands and Islands
Taken together, the six postcode areas of the Highlands and the Scottish islands (HS, ZE, KW, IV, PH, PA) average 171.8p for unleaded and 202.5p for diesel, against 169.4p and 197.5p for the UK: 2.4p and 5.0p more a litre. For a driver who fills a 50 litre tank once a week, the unleaded gap adds up to about £63 a year.
The government recognises part of this gap. Since 2012 the Rural Fuel Duty Relief scheme has cut duty by 5p a litre at retailers on the Scottish islands, the Isles of Scilly and a few remote mainland areas, and the relief is meant to be passed on at the pump. Even with it, the dearest area in the UK is still in the Highlands and Islands.
Diesel
For diesel the dearest area is the Outer Hebrides postcode area (HS), at 208.3p, 10.8p above the UK average of 197.5p, and the cheapest is Northern Ireland, at 189.9p. 5 of the 10 dearest areas for unleaded are also among the 10 dearest for diesel.
Why remote areas pay more
Three things push prices up away from the cities. Fuel has further to travel, sometimes by ferry, and delivery costs are spread over smaller volumes. Stations sell less, so each litre has to carry more of the fixed cost of running a forecourt. And there is less competition: supermarkets, which tend to set the lowest price in a town, make up 27% of the prices in the 10 dearest areas against 47% in the 10 cheapest, and 30% across the UK.
The differences inside an area are often as large as those between areas. Your town's page lists every station cheapest first, the price map shows where the gaps lie, and cheapest near me finds the lowest price within a few miles. Weekly figures for every postcode area are on the press page.