Northern Ireland has second least affordable pump prices in UK
Drivers in Northern Ireland have the second least affordable fuel prices in the UK, according to a new analysis of data by energy experts Boiler Central.
They used data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) and Experian to calculate the cost of petrol against average weekly wages in each of the UK’s 12 regions.
Drivers in the North East emerged worst off, set to spend more of their weekly wages on petrol than anywhere else in the UK – despite having the lowest average cost for a full tank at £100.83 – due to lower average wages in the region.
Northern Ireland has the second least affordable fuel in the country, with residents paying an average of 16.73 percent of their weekly wages on petrol.
At £101.71 for 55 litres when the analysis was carried out, petrol was slightly more expensive in Northern Ireland than it was in the North East, while Northern Ireland has the second-lowest weekly wages in the UK, at £608, bringing it into the second slot.
Residents in cities such as Newcastle and Sunderland – with an average weekly wage of £593 – could use up to 17 percent of their weekly wages to fill up a standard car with 55 litres of fuel, the data showed.
Petrol hit a new high of 191.05p a litre on Sunday, further fueling the spiralling cost of living crisis leaving millions of Britons worse off each month. Meanwhile, diesel has hit new highs of 199.09p, meaning a 55-litre family car would cost an eye-watering £109.42 to fill up. This marks the biggest jump in fuel prices in 17 years, with the cost of filling a family car exceeding £100 for the first time since records began.
