Some UK forecourts change fuel prices eight times in three days

A small number of UK forecourts are moving their unleaded prices several times a day rather than setting a single price and leaving it, and for money-conscious drivers that difference can amount to several pence per litre depending on when you pull in.

Official UK government fuel price data covering the 72 hours to 12:32pm on 8 August shows six forecourts changed their unleaded price three or more times in that window. Two BP stations in Hull, one in Beverley and one in Cottingham each recorded either seven or eight separate price changes over the period. The BP station in Beverley moved between 165.9p and 169.9p a litre across eight changes, a swing of 4p per litre or roughly 18p on a typical 45-litre fill. The BP in Cottingham swung across an even wider range, from 165.9p to 170.9p, a 5p spread that adds up to around 23p on the same tank.

For a driver in one of those postcodes, the timing of a fill-up can genuinely affect what you pay. A price logged at 165.9p in the morning may have risen to 169.9p or more by lunchtime, and then dropped again by evening. It is also worth knowing that occasional large swings can result from a data-entry error at the station rather than a real change at the pump, so it is sensible to check the live price before driving across town to fill up rather than relying on a figure that may be hours old.

If you are thinking about running costs more broadly, the value of the car you own matters as much as the fuel you put in it. Car.co.uk offers a free instant car valuation so you can see what your vehicle is worth right now, along with free tools including an MOT history check, a car tax calculator and a car finance calculator. If you decide to sell, it buys cars directly from owners, with free collection and payment by bank transfer, which keeps the process straightforward.