Fuel Duty: What It Really Means for Hauliers and Operators
The Road Haulage Association (RHA) has warned that ending the fuel duty freeze could hit both households and hauliers hard, and we completely understand why.
According to the RHA’s latest report, a 5p rise in fuel duty could add around £7.3 billion to household costs between now and 2029. That’s worrying enough on its own, but for those of us in transport, the impact goes far beyond that.
Fuel isn’t just another expense on a spreadsheet. It’s one of the biggest running costs for any operator, making up around 20–25% of total expenditure. A small increase at the pump quickly becomes a big number when multiplied across an entire fleet.
A Real-World Problem for Road Transport
For many hauliers, there’s not a lot of margin to play with. Costs have already risen sharply over the past few years insurance, vehicle parts, maintenance, wages, compliance, and now potentially fuel again.
When prices climb, operators face difficult choices. Do they absorb the increase, or pass it on to customers? Most of the time, it’s a bit of both, but either way, it squeezes profitability and makes planning harder.
The reality is that a rise in fuel duty doesn’t just affect haulage firms. It travels down the supply chain from transport to retail to the consumer, raising prices for food, materials, and other essentials.
The Knock-On Effect Across the Economy
The RHA’s commissioned study by Full Circle Economics found that a 5p increase in fuel duty could lift overall consumer prices by 0.3%, adding around £2 billion to UK household spending each year.
That happens because higher fuel costs don’t stay with operators. They spread through delivery networks, supermarkets, manufacturers, and service providers. Every extra penny per litre has a ripple effect.
And for smaller fleets, who can’t offset those costs as easily as larger companies, the impact is felt immediately.
Compliance and Efficiency Can Help Soften the Blow
At Total Compliance, we work with transport businesses every day to help them balance compliance with cost control.
We know how difficult it can be to stay on top of everything when operating costs are rising, but the answer isn’t to cut corners; it’s to work smarter.
Good Driver CPC and FORS training can make a real difference, especially when it comes to fuel efficiency and eco-driving. Simple changes to driving style, route planning and vehicle checks can bring measurable savings over time.
It’s the same with compliance systems. Keeping them organised and up to date means fewer penalties, less downtime and a safer, more efficient fleet overall.
Our View
Raising fuel duty might look like a quick win on paper for the Treasury, but in practice, it risks adding more pressure to an industry that’s already carrying plenty.
Hauliers and operators are the backbone of the economy, moving goods, feeding families and supporting every other sector in between.
They’ve weathered rising costs, new regulations and constant change over recent years. Adding another expense on top of that just makes it harder to stay viable.
The RHA is right: keeping the fuel duty freeze in place would give the transport industry the breathing space it needs to plan, invest and move forward sustainably.