Prices of fuel has 'only dipped on three days' since start of February

Motorists have been hit by almost non-stop daily increases in fuel prices for six weeks, new figures show.

Analysis of AA data found average prices for petrol and diesel at UK forecourts have only dipped on three days since the start of February.

This has led to the average price of a litre of petrol and diesel soaring by more than 19p and 27p respectively.

Latest figures show average prices are a record 165.9p per litre for petrol and 177.3p per litre for diesel.

Oil prices surged immediately after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine but declined last week, leading to a cut in wholesale costs.

Conservative former minister Robert Halfon told the Commons on Thursday that the UK was heading for a “de facto lockdown” caused by soaring fuel prices.

AA fuel price spokesman Luke Bosdet said: “The problem right now is that those families and other drivers have been locked out of price cuts, thanks to the road fuel trade refusing to pass on savings at the pump.”

Household budgets are being squeezed by rising energy bills soaring petrol prices and an increase in national insurance contributions.

The Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, who is due to give the spring statement on Wednesday, said he would intervene to help workers and families where he could “make a difference” but admitted factors like global inflation were “somewhat out of my control”.

“I have enormous sympathy for what people are going through at the moment and that’s why we will always be there to help make a difference where we can.

“I can’t solve every problem, no government can solve every problem."