Lockdown savings – UK drivers save £267m on fuel
Restrictions on travel during the Coronavirus pandemic have caused many drivers to abandon their daily commute, resulting in fewer trips to the pump to fill up.
As a result, new figures suggest UK drivers have saved a combined total of £267m on fuel since lockdown measures began back in March.
The cost of commuting
Brits who commute to work by car reportedly spend an average of 58 minutes a day behind the wheel – that’s 200 hours a year spent travelling to and from work.
With the country under lockdown, driving in the UK has fallen by 62% compared with the start of 2020, leading to thousands of drivers saving on commuting costs.
Research by comparison site GoCompare found that an average fuel spend of 35p per commute has resulted in individual savings of more than £20 on fuel so far during lockdown.
Matt Oliver, motoring expert from GoCompare, said: “Understandably, as cars are used less, we are starting to see an impact on insurance and pricing.
“It will be interesting to see how fuel usage changes once lockdown has lifted. With many companies announcing that remote working will continue, this will affect the daily commute for thousands of drivers.”
Fuel prices at record low
The average yearly fuel spend for petrol car owners is £1,042, while diesel owners fork out £1,265 on fuel each year.
The cost of refuelling hit a record low this month as supermarket forecourts slashed petrol prices to less than £1 a litre.
Due an MOT during lockdown? Find out if you’re entitled to a six-month MOT exemption in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
