UK Fuel & Commute Cost Calculator 2026

Estimate how much petrol or diesel you use commuting to work, your weekly and annual fuel cost, and an illustrative breakdown of the Fuel Duty and VAT contained in that spending.

What this calculator includes

The calculator converts UK miles per gallon into litres using one imperial gallon = 4.54609 litres. It then estimates the fuel needed for your chosen round-trip distance, commuting days and commuting weeks, and multiplies those litres by the pump price you enter.

This is a fuel-only commuting cost. It is not the full cost of driving to work: depreciation, finance, insurance, Vehicle Excise Duty, MOT, servicing, tyres, repairs, parking, tolls and other running costs are not included.

Fuel Duty in 2026

At the time this page was checked on 5 October 2026, the main-road-fuel duty rate for petrol and diesel is 52.95p per litre. The calculator therefore estimates the Fuel Duty embedded in the litres of fuel used for your commute.

Fuel-duty policy can change at a Budget or fiscal event. For that reason, the page shows the rate and check date rather than pretending a fuel-tax figure will remain current indefinitely.

How VAT on pump fuel works

Road fuel is generally subject to the standard 20% VAT rate. But if the pump price already includes VAT, you should not calculate the VAT element as 20% of that VAT-inclusive price. The VAT contained in a VAT-inclusive £1.50 litre is £1.50 − (£1.50 ÷ 1.20) = 25p.

At a £1.50 pump price, 52.95p of Fuel Duty plus 25p of VAT gives an illustrative combined tax component of about 77.95p per litre, or roughly 52% of the pump price. VAT is charged on the final taxable selling price, which means the VAT base incorporates costs including duty; the two figures should therefore be understood as components of the final retail price rather than two independent taxes applied to the pre-tax fuel itself.

Example commute

For a 40-mile daily round trip, 45 UK MPG, five commuting days a week and 47 commuting weeks a year, annual mileage is 9,400 miles. That uses about 950 litres of fuel. At £1.40 per litre, the estimated weekly fuel cost is about £28.29 and the annual fuel cost about £1,329.

Using the 52.95p/litre duty rate and extracting the VAT element from a £1.40 VAT-inclusive pump price, the combined illustrative Fuel Duty and VAT component is around £725 for that annual commute. This reproduces the useful benchmark in the supplied specification.

Why your real fuel economy may be different

Official MPG figures and your dashboard average may not match commuting conditions. Cold starts, congestion, short journeys, speed, weather, tyre pressure, vehicle load and driving style can all change real-world fuel use. For the most useful estimate, enter the MPG you actually see over normal driving rather than relying only on the manufacturer’s figure.

Hybrid working can change commuting costs quickly

If you commute fewer than five days a week, change the commuting-days field rather than assuming a traditional five-day office week. The same applies to annual leave, working from home and other weeks when you do not make your usual commute.

Can employees claim tax relief for commuting fuel?

Ordinary travel between your home and your permanent workplace is normally treated as private commuting, so employees generally cannot claim tax relief for those everyday journeys. Business travel and journeys to temporary workplaces can be treated differently. Do not use this calculator’s commute cost as an automatic expense claim.

Official guidance

• GOV.UK: hydrocarbon oils duty rates
• GOV.UK: employee travel tax relief
• GOV.UK: travel, mileage and fuel rates and allowances

Track the rest of your car costs

Fuel is only one part of the annual cost of owning a car. The UK Car Annual Cost & MOT Planner can help you organise MOT, servicing, insurance, repairs and renewals alongside other vehicle costs.

View the UK Car Annual Cost & MOT Planner →

Related MoneySavvyUK calculators

• Company Car Tax Calculator — estimate the employee BIK tax on a company car.
• Energy Price Cap Calculator — compare household energy rates.
• Fiscal Drag & Pay Rise Calculator — see what you may keep from a pay rise after Income Tax and employee NI.

Fuel Duty rate checked: 5 October 2026. Pump prices vary by location and over time. MoneySavvyUK provides general information and planning tools, not personalised tax or financial advice.