Rising fuel prices may force drivers to cut back on hospital visits as petrol costs rise

Rising fuel prices could force some motorists to cut back on essential journeys, including hospital visits, as the spiraling oil price crisis continues to drive up costs at the pump, according to new research by campaign group FairFuelUK.

A survey of more than 37,000 motorists found that 11.9 percent of respondents believe they may have to reduce the frequency of regular hospital treatment or hospital visits if the price of petrol and diesel continues to rise sharply. Campaigners warn that further increases in fuel costs could have serious consequences for both household finances and wider economic activity.

Petrol prices have already risen by around 10p a liter on average since the oil market turmoil began, while diesel has risen by around 14p a litre, according to the FairFuelUK Fuel Price Crisis Survey. The increase comes amid continued volatility in global energy markets and concerns about oil supply disruptions.

Motorists who responded to the survey indicated that if fuel prices rise by more than 20p per liter on average, many households will begin to cut back on daily consumption to cope with the increased transport costs. FairFuelUK warns that such behavioral changes could have wide-ranging economic consequences, potentially reducing consumer spending and increasing the risk of recession.

The results suggest that pump price increases can quickly feed into household budget decisions. More than 70 percent of drivers say they will cut back on their favorite things, dining out and entertainment if prices rise significantly, while nearly 60 percent say they will cut back on brand name food products.

More than half of respondents said they would switch to filling up at supermarkets in search of cheaper fuel, and more than half said they would cut back on their grocery shopping. About 41 percent said they would work from home more often to avoid travel costs, and about 38 percent would consider using public transportation more often.

However, the study also highlights the potential impact on social and economic mobility. Almost a quarter of motorists said they would cut back on visiting family and friends, while half said they might cut back on hospital visits, raising major concerns for campaigners.

Howard Cox, founder of FairFuelUK, said the government must act quickly to ease the pressure on drivers and prevent rising fuel costs from costing money and weakening economic growth.

He pointed out that lowering the tax on fuel can help stabilize prices and protect consumers and businesses from continuing the economic crisis.

“Rachel Reeves could ease inflationary pressures and protect the economy from recession by cutting fuel tax now and promising to phase out any increase in this tax cut in the lifetime of this Parliament,” Cox said.

He added that UK motorists face the highest fuel tax in the world and said reducing the burden would help boost consumer spending and lower operating costs for small businesses.

“The world’s most taxed drivers deserve relief from the high costs of a vital resource, and the economy needs to be boosted by increasing consumer spending and reducing costs for small businesses,” he said.

Cox also called for wider changes to fuel prices, including the removal of VAT from fuel duty, which campaigners described as double taxation, and the introduction of stricter monitoring of pump prices through a stronger regulatory framework.

The FairFuelUK survey also explored drivers’ views on how fuel retailers are responding to recent wholesale price movements. When asked if they saw pump prices increase significantly before wholesale costs increased, 43.1 percent of respondents said they saw an increase in their regular yard, while more than half said they were unsure.

Of those who believed that the prices increased prematurely, 83.7% identified the major oil companies including Shell, BP, Esso and Texaco as having high pumping prices and increasing the existing fuel stock.

Supermarket petrol stations were widely seen as offering the lowest prices, although some respondents reported that supermarkets such as Asda and Tesco had made the fastest price increases.

Campaigners say the findings underline growing concerns among motorists about lack of transparency in the fuel supply chain and the speed with which prices respond to fluctuations in wholesale costs.

FairFuelUK is calling on ministers to introduce what it calls a tougher “PumpWatch” system to monitor prices across the fuel supply chain and impose hefty fines if companies are found to be profiteering.

As global energy markets remain volatile and political tensions continue to disrupt oil supplies, motorists and businesses alike face more uncertainty at the pump in the coming months.