The claim
“The average price of a litre of diesel in the UK has reached a record high of 200.01p.”
The claim was made by Simon Williams of the RAC on 2 October 2026, as reported in The Guardian's business section.
Our verdict
Unverified
We could not verify whether the average UK diesel price reached a record high of 200.01p on 2 October 2026, because no independent official data for that exact date is publicly available.
Know something that settles it? Send us evidenceWhat we found
The claim originates from the RAC's Simon Williams and was reported by The Guardian on 2 October 2026. Both the RAC and The Guardian state that the average price hit 200.01p per litre and describe it as a record high. However, official government fuel price statistics for September 2026 do not include a daily average for 2 October. The most recent comparable official figure is from July 2022, when diesel averaged 199.03p. There is a gap in the public record between those dates, so we cannot confirm whether 200.01p is truly a record high. A social media post suggested a slightly different figure (199.9p), but it is not a reliable source. Without primary price data for the claim date or a complete historical series, the claim cannot be confirmed or refuted.
The evidence
- Background
The RAC's Simon Williams stated that the average price of diesel reached 200.01p and characterised it as a record high.
rac.co.uk· UK diesel price hits new record high of £2 a litre - Background
In July 2022, the average price of diesel was reported as 199.03p per litre.
theguardian.com· Why are UK fuel prices at a record high when cost of oil has fallen?· July 4, 2022 - Background
The Guardian reported on 2 October 2026 that the RAC stated the average price of diesel reached 200.01p per litre, calling it a record high.
theguardian.com· UK diesel price hits record high of £2 a litre· October 2, 2026 - Background
A social media post from the Western Telegraph asserted that diesel averages 199.9p per litre in the UK.
facebook.com· Western Telegraph - Background
The Guardian reported on 2 October 2026 that the RAC stated the average UK diesel price reached a record high of 200.01p per litre on that day.
www.theguardian.com· Minister denies UK faces diesel shortage after Trump threatens to ban exports· October 2, 2026
What we could not confirm
- The exact average UK diesel price on 2 October 2026
- Whether 200.01p is a record high compared to all historical prices
- Independent official data for the claim date
How we checked
We reviewed official government fuel price statistics, historical price data from July 2022, and contemporary media reports from the RAC and The Guardian. We reviewed 5 relevant sources.
Help us check this claim
We could not find enough public evidence to confirm or refute this claim. If you know of an official record, dataset, transcript or report that settles it, send us the link. We review every submission and update this fact check when the evidence changes the picture.
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