Platforms are offering drivers a 5p per mile fuel supplement in response to the Iran conflict price spike. Diesel costs 17.4p per mile now versus 13p before. The maths says a fair supplement starts at 10p. Here is why 5p is not enough — and why drivers should not accept it.
Where the 5p figure comes from
Following sustained pressure from the App Drivers and Couriers Union and media coverage of the fuel crisis, several platforms announced a temporary fuel supplement of 5p per mile in April 2026. It was presented as a meaningful response to the extraordinary price spike caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
It is not. The 5p figure covers approximately half the actual cost increase — and it is structured as a temporary measure with no trigger mechanism for adjustment, meaning it will be quietly withdrawn when media attention moves on, regardless of what diesel prices do.
The actual cost increase per mile
| Scenario | Diesel price | Cost per mile (50mpg) |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-conflict (February 2026) | 143p/litre | 13.0p per mile |
| April 2026 | 191.5p/litre | 17.4p per mile |
| Increase | +48.5p/litre | +4.4p per mile |
| Platform supplement offered | — | 5.0p per mile |
| Gap not covered by supplement | — | −4.4p still absorbed by driver |
Wait — the supplement is 5p and the increase is 4.4p. So drivers are actually better off? No. The 5p supplement is being applied only to trips where the platform chooses to activate it — typically longer trips. Short city trips, where fuel cost per mile is highest relative to earnings, are frequently excluded. The effective rate across all trips is closer to 2–3p per mile when averaged across a full shift.
Why 10p is the right number
The pre-conflict fuel cost at 143p/litre and 50mpg was 13.0p per mile. At 191.5p/litre it is 17.4p per mile. The increase is 4.4p. But that calculation assumes 50mpg — the optimistic end of the range for a typical PHV vehicle in London stop-start traffic.
A more realistic London mpg figure is 38–42mpg, accounting for idling, air conditioning, and repeated short journeys. At 40mpg and 191.5p/litre, the fuel cost is 21.8p per mile — versus 16.3p pre-conflict. The real increase for a typical London driver is closer to 5.5p per mile.
“A supplement that covers half the cost increase, applied to half the trips, is not a supplement. It is optics.”
A fair supplement — covering the full documented cost increase across all trips, adjusted quarterly to RAC pump price data — starts at 10p per mile. That accounts for the real-world fuel efficiency of a London PHV, provides a margin for the upside risk scenarios (Goldman Sachs put a 40% probability on Brent hitting $200/barrel if the conflict continues), and creates a mechanism that adjusts automatically rather than requiring drivers to campaign every time prices move.
What drivers should demand instead
The 5p offer should not be accepted as a settlement. Drivers and unions should hold out for three specific commitments:
1. A minimum 10p per mile supplement applied to all trips — not selected trip types, not surge-only journeys, all trips.
2. Quarterly adjustment tied to the RAC Fuel Watch published diesel price index — automatic, transparent, not subject to platform discretion.
3. Platform commission reduced from 25% to 15% while diesel exceeds 180p/litre — a trigger-based reduction that shares the burden of the emergency rather than placing it entirely on drivers.
These are not unreasonable demands. Platform gross margins in Q4 2025 were reported at 28–32%. A temporary commission reduction to 15% during a declared fuel emergency is proportionate. The alternative — absorbing £1,320 in extra annual costs with a 5p sticking plaster — is not.
The precedent matters
During the Ukraine energy crisis in 2022, the government cut fuel duty 5p per litre. Platforms made no equivalent adjustment. Drivers absorbed the full impact. The pattern is repeating. If drivers accept 5p now, they set a precedent that platforms can respond to fuel emergencies with symbolic gestures and face no further pressure.
The fuel crisis is not over. Goldman Sachs’ base case for Q3 2026 keeps diesel at 190–210p/litre. Macquarie puts a 40% probability on Brent hitting $200/barrel if the Strait of Hormuz remains disrupted. This is not a two-week spike. It is the new floor — and 5p per mile is not enough to stand on.
Add your voice to the fuel supplement demand
Sign the petition and email your MP. Parliamentary questions about platform fuel supplements have been tabled — your name adds weight.