UK Petrol Jumps 5p in One Week as $100 Brent Turns War Into a Pump-Price Shock

UK petrol prices rose by 5p a litre in one week, taking the average unleaded price to 167.17p a litre. Diesel rose by the same amount to 188.63p. The RAC said there was “no sign of any relief” for drivers.

For a family-sized car, the weekly increase adds about £2.75 to a fill-up. The last time petrol was at this level was September 2022, while diesel remains below its April peak of 191.54p a litre.

The BBC linked the jump to the US-Israel war with Iran, which began at the end of February 2026. Brent crude was around $70 a barrel before the conflict, reached $120 in April and returned to $100 for the first time since July. Tax Research UK also noted Brent near $99 a barrel on September 8.

The latest pressure followed Tuesday reports that US forces struck five Iranian tankers after Tehran targeted one of its warships, while Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement attacked oil facilities in Saudi Arabia.

Karmactive’s earlier reporting on US-Iran escalation and Gulf tanker strikes covered the conflict side. This follow-up tracks the household end of the chain: a barrel price, a wholesale cost and a pump bill.