Greedy fuel forecourts refuse to bring down cost of diesel

WHITE van men are being fleeced by greedy forecourts refusing to make diesel cheaper despite plummeting wholesale prices, stats show.

A 10p fall in barrel costs in the last four weeks has translated into just a 3p dip at the pumps.

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Figures from the RAC’s Fuel Watch show retailers are pocketing 19p for every litre of diesel they say – more than double what they took last year.

Campaigners warn the nation’s 12million diesel drivers – including virtually every van tradesman – are being ripped off during a cost of living crisis.

RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams said the fuel duty cut extended this week by Jeremy Hunt was being gobbled up by forecourts.

He said: “The pricing tactics of major retailers mean that diesel drivers in particular – including those who work for millions of small businesses – are still getting a really miserable deal at the pumps, and effectively aren’t seeing any benefit from the 5p duty cut whatsoever.”

Small firms were dealt another blow last night as the OBR warned 40,000 will deliberately slash their revenues by £350million to dodge a stealth VAT rise.

The tax on turnover was frozen for an eighth consecutive year at the Budget, dragging thousands of companies into paying the rate.

The watchdog warned: “Given the administrative burden and pricing consequences of being subject to the VAT regime, the registration threshold also creates an incentive for firms to cap their annual turnover just below it.”