Drivers are being hit at the pump by record high fuel prices which are being driven up by soaring wholesale costs.
The average price of a litre of petrol and diesel at UK forecourts on Sunday was 149p and 153p respectively, the RAC has said.
The price jump means it now costs £82 to fill up a typical 55-litre family car with petrol or £84 with diesel.
The rise has been described as ‘another unfortunate landmark’ and will mean more of a squeeze for thousands of families struggling with the ever-increasing cost of living.
Simon Williams, an RAC fuel spokesperson, said: ‘The unrelenting rising price of fuel is hurting households up and down the country, furthering the cost-of-living crisis.
‘Businesses are also suffering with diesel reaching new heights.’
Prices at the pumps have soared on the back of rises in wholesale fuel costs, which have jumped amid a resurgence in demand following the reopening of global economies.
‘While the price of oil is still close to 100 US dollars a barrel wholesale fuel prices don’t merit further retailer rises across the board at the pumps’, Mr Willliams added.
‘We realise that smaller retailers who don’t buy fuel as frequently will be hit by higher wholesale costs, but the biggest retailers who buy all the time shouldn’t currently be increasing their forecourt prices.
‘We urge them to play fair with drivers at this difficult time.
‘Tension between Russia and Ukraine is still weighing heavy on the oil price but there is now a glimmer of hope that more oil may come on to the market from Iran due to a possible nuclear agreement with the US to end sanctions.’
The latest prices come as household budgets are being put under increasing pressure, amid rising energy costs, inflation and tax hikes.
Last week the Office for National Statistics said Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation reached 5.5% in January – up from 5.4% in December.
The announcement means the CPI is at the highest point since March 1992, when it stood at 7.1%.
Rising energy prices and fuel costs have been identified as the biggest factors in driving inflation up.
The Bank of England has raised interest rates to 0.5% in a bid to slow inflation but it is expected to keep rising until April.
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