Why is fuel so expensive in the UK when most other countries are paying less ?

Question

Bearing in mind we do actually produce some oil ourselves.

The Answer I believe is because taxing the motorist is the easy (lazy) option, whick requires no thought process at all and is a quick easy way to make a few quid.

Its the same old story, tax the drinkers, the smokers and the motorist !

Answer 1

The highest tax in the world imposed by this greedy government & the problem is made worse by the greedy oil producers.

Answer 2

Yes - we pay more tax! Come on clever folks - let's have an inexpensive car which runs on some other fuel and abolish our dependency on oil! Er, Danny - you are being ironic, aren't you?

Answer 3

We get squeezed & then squeezed some more but this time I think the government have gone too far Gordon's a dead man walking

Answer 4

For midgrade Gasoline it's 3.85 a gallon for US (on base Japan)

For regular gas out in town Okinawa Japan - Last I seen was 157 yen per liter and service fee since you can't pump your own fuel. I paid 2000 yen and only got 1297 yen worth of gas for my car. INSANE!

Answer 5

True.

But, take away revenue from petrol (about 75% tax burden) and you either strip away much public spending, or hike up other taxes (namely income tax.)

I agree with a level on tax for domestic petrol use. Strange that Public Transport operators also have to deal with the same level of tax!

Answer 6

The easiest answer is that it is because we pay the highest tax on fuel against any other country in the EU

Thanks very much New Labour

Answer 7

Because its the easiest way MPS can get money to pay for there expenses. Without digging into there own pocket.

Answer 8

People go to iraq to figth for oil so if we wre losing we have to charge more so we can bid on it.So if other countries are winning they can charge less I hope that answers your question

Answer 9

uk has one of the cheapest fuel prices...we just tax tax tax tax tax tax tax tax then tax some more

Answer 10

70% of the cost goes to Mr Brown.

Robbing Government.

Answer 11

many people are considering the expense of converting their vehicles to run on LPG(liquid petrolium gas) then recoup the cost thru the cheaper gas prices. The sad fact is that once this fuel becomes a more widely used fuel, its price will rocket thus cancelling any benefit. Back in the 80's, we saw the series of films, Mad Max. Makes u wonder if the producers had some kind of insight into what todays world would be like as we're certainly heading in that direction!

Answer 12

Its because we have a caring government who are using high prices to minimise our usage, thus helping to negate and off-set the Global-Warming effects of the rest of the world. We are so lucky, here.

Mad: You saw right through me! Dooh!

Answer 13

It is not true ,other countries pay more for fuel than UK and the cost of living twice as much as in other countries

Answer 14

ask gordon brown!

Answer 15

I think you will find that petrol prices are sky rocketing in the US and Aust  as well......its due the cost of oil rising....Blame the countries that produce it....We are at war with some of them....The Aust govt are talking about dropping one of the taxes on it to try and ease the burden on the motorist ...but it won't make a big difference....Its not an isolated problem......

It has reached $1.60 per litre in Aust at its highest so far and rising....

Answer 16

Interesting I pay $3.92 per gallon of gas I pay State and Fed taxes (about 20% of gross income) I pay state sales tax on just about everything plus the extra cigarette tax (I need to quit my smokes are up to $50 per carton!) So it's not just in the UK - it's in the States too Stinks don't it - we're all wondering when its going to stop - we're all getting drained to the max just to survive Wonder what it'll be like in 5 years

Answer 17

I don't know how much you guys pay, but here in Australia it's around 160 cents for ulp, 180 cents for diesel and 65 cents for gas, the funny thing is oil is in Australia's top 5 exports and it is also in our top 5 imports

China is making diesel so expensive because a lot of their machinery is run on it and we have to pay the same price as what they are willing too to get it.

Gas is still very cheap here because it isn't taxed and ulp is expected to hit 200 cents by christmas just because of demand vs supply

all prices are per litre

Hope this helps you compare with another country and I've also heard that germany or russia or some where around there is paying equal to 500 cents a litre for ulp

Answer 18

The cost of fuel in the UK is higher than in other countries due to govt. taxes.  However fuel in other countries is also getting more expensive (France, Spain, Germany, US, etc).  So while the price is lower than in the UK it is not necessarily less expensive.

The UK Govt has long used fuel taxes to reduce headline tax rates (the Tories did it in the 80's).  Having lived in Europe, the price differential for petrol is normally only 2-3p cheaper than in the UK.  The big difference has always been diesel which is often anywhere between 10 & 20 p cheaper than the UK.  On the other hand, taxe on single people are often close to 50% (hence number of french students who move to the UK to work).  

The question we need to ask ourselves is do we want to pay higher income tax v lower fuel taxes or vice versa?  It is not possible to have them both low as the monetary requirements of govt increase each year with the money going into the health service, policing and education all of which are heavily people intensive and all of whom will be seeking more tax money to increase their salaries to pay for the increasing food and fuel costs.

Answer 19

Its also very expensive in India. Its Rs. 55 per litre

Answer 20

the fuel is so high in the uk is because the goverment tax it so much. as you said its the easy way too make money as they now people need fuel to get around so they will have to pay it.

maybe we should all stage a fuel protest and hit the goverment were it hurts in the pocket and then maybe they might start to listen too the people and do something about lowering the fuel tax.

Answer 21

Because our gormless Chancellor and PM can't see that the level of duty on fuel is way too high. Several papers have mentioned that tax could be cut by up to 12p a litre and the exchequer would still rake in as much revenue as it did last year. So why don't the ignorant twerps cut the duty? Are they hellbent on losing the next election?

Answer 22

Because England's goverment is very greedy and we are the most taxed country in the world, the more they tax us the more we roll over and let them stick it to us.

Answer 23

Quite simply because yes, the UK government charges more fuel duty and VAT than other countries.

The UK government probably hadn't predicted quite how quickly oil costs were going to increase, and as a result, are receiving a windfall in additional tax revenues being generated.

However, it probably needs these to introduce the package of measures introduced to try and undo the harm done by the 10% tax debacle.

A fairer approach would be for the government to charge a fixed rate duty instead of a percentage based duty.

However, good old Gordon is committed to being green, and keeping pump prices high to discourage unnecessary car use (sic).

A completely flawed approach in my opinion, as we are dependent on a mobile workforce, with an ailing public transport system.

Answer 24

well here in new zealand we have to pay over 2 dollars for a litre of petrol, i believe petrol prices are rising every where, because of the little we still have in the world today

Answer 25

greedy government the garages make about 2 or 3 p per-litre usually government take about 60% or more