Rubbish Check
Daily Mail Money · 25 September 2026
source“Diesel to hit record high close to £2 a litre this weekend as soaring fuel prices deliver hammer blow to millions of motorists”
R2/ 10
Lightly altered
Rubbish Rating — 1 = base fact, 10 = pure rubbish
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In short
Rubbish Talk rates the Daily Mail's claim that diesel is about to hit a record high near £2 a litre a 2/10 because RAC data puts the average at 198.32p, within touching distance of the June 2022 record of 199.09p, and RAC's own head of policy said a new high would "almost certainly" be hit that weekend.
The Verdict
Lightly altered. The headline states as near-fact what RAC itself framed as "almost certainly" a coming record, a small tightening of a forecast into a done deal, but every underlying figure in the piece checks out and the emotive language ("hammer blow", "soaring") is proportionate to genuinely sharp month-on-month rises.
What actually happened
RAC figures showed UK average diesel prices at 198.32p a litre, just short of the all-time record of 199.09p set in June 2022 during the Ukraine war shock. Prices had climbed 14.5p in a month and 55p since a fresh conflict began, driven by oil surging from around $60 a barrel at the start of the year to above $108. Petrol also rose, to 173.6p a litre, its highest level in four years.
Key facts
- Diesel average: 198.32p/litre, up 14.5p this month and 55p since late February.
- Previous UK diesel record: 199.09p, set 25 June 2022 "with diesel prices just 4p off the record of 199.09p set on June 25, 2022, a new all-time high looks set to be hit soon."
- Petrol average: 173.6p/litre, a four-year high; up 12p this month.
- Oil price: over $108/barrel, up from roughly $60 at the start of the year.
- Full tank cost: £109 for diesel (+£30 vs pre-conflict), £95 for petrol (+£22).
- UK inflation: 3.1%, forecast to top 4% early next year.
- Fuel Duty due to rise 3p/litre on 1 January and 2p/litre on 1 March.
What to watch for
- Whether the national average actually breaches 199.09p over the weekend as RAC forecast, or stalls just short, since the headline treats the forecast as settled.
- Whether the government softens the planned January/March Fuel Duty hikes given the political pressure the piece flags.
- Whether "hundreds of forecourts already above £2" becomes the national average, a distinct claim from the current 198.32p mean the headline is really built on.
About this scoreThe R-Score is Rubbish Talk's editorial opinion on how far a headline's framing sits from what the underlying facts support. It is a judgement about presentation and emphasis, not an allegation that any outlet has acted dishonestly. Every figure we rely on is linked under Receipts so you can check it yourself.
