Help with fuel costs for necessary journeys on a low income

In much of rural and small-town Britain, a car is the only realistic way to reach a shift, a hospital, a school or the nearest large supermarket. When you are on Universal Credit, a zero-hours contract or a small pension, a full tank can be the difference between keeping a job and losing it. Fuel prices move quickly and there is no single scheme that simply pays for petrol or diesel, yet there are several ways to have journeys refunded, costs reduced or travel shared before you think about borrowing.

This page deals with fuel for necessary journeys by car or motorbike. If you do not drive, our guide to help with buses, trains and bikes is a better starting point. If "fuel" for you means gas, electricity or oil to heat your home, see our page on help with heating costs.

Journeys that can be refunded

Several public schemes pay back travel costs for specific purposes. The key rule is the same for all of them: ask before you travel and keep every receipt.

• Hospital appointments: in England, the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme refunds reasonable travel costs to NHS hospital appointments you were referred to, if you receive a qualifying benefit or hold an NHS low-income certificate. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have similar arrangements. Ask the hospital how to claim for mileage and parking.
• Job interviews and starting work: your Jobcentre work coach can sometimes pay travel costs through the Flexible Support Fund, including help for the first weeks of a new job before your first wage arrives.
• Disability and work: Access to Work can contribute to extra travel costs if a health condition or disability means you cannot use public transport to get to work.
• Volunteering and caring: many charities, and some councils, reimburse mileage for volunteers and for carers on agreed duties.
• School transport: children who meet distance or low-income criteria may be entitled to free school travel arranged by the council, which can save you daily school runs.

If you drive for work

If you use your own vehicle for work journeys, as opposed to your normal commute, your employer can pay you a tax-free mileage allowance up to the rate approved by HMRC. If your employer pays less, you may be able to claim tax relief on the difference, though this only helps if you pay income tax. Care workers and delivery drivers on low pay should check that mileage between clients or drops is being paid at all.

Self-employed people on Universal Credit can usually deduct business mileage as an expense when reporting monthly earnings, which can increase the benefit paid. Keep a simple log of dates, destinations and miles: it is the evidence both HMRC and the DWP will ask for.

Help for disabled drivers and carers

People receiving the higher rate of the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance, the enhanced mobility rate of Personal Independence Payment or certain other benefits may be able to lease a car through the Motability Scheme, with insurance, servicing and breakdown cover included. A Blue Badge can cut parking costs, and some disability benefits give an exemption or reduction on vehicle tax. Carers who drive someone to appointments should check whether the person they care for is claiming everything they are entitled to, since a mobility award changes what help is available.

A free benefits check with Citizens Advice, a local welfare rights service or an online calculator will show whether you qualify for these and other benefits you may be missing.

Short-term help when the tank is empty

If you need fuel this week to reach work or an essential appointment, and refunds come too late:

• Ask your council about its local welfare or crisis support scheme. In Scotland this is the Scottish Welfare Fund, in Wales the Discretionary Assistance Fund, and in Northern Ireland Discretionary Support. Some schemes help with travel costs; others free up money by covering food or energy.
• If you are a new Universal Credit claimant, you can ask for an advance on your first payment. It is repaid from later payments.
• Ask your employer whether they offer a salary advance, fuel card or help with commuting costs. Some larger employers have hardship funds.
• Look for charitable grants linked to your job, trade, health condition or past armed forces service. Our page on hardship grants explains how to search and apply.

Spend less on every tank

Small changes add up when you drive every day on a tight budget.

• Use a free fuel price comparison app or website before filling up; supermarket forecourts are often cheaper than motorway services.
• Keep tyres at the right pressure, remove roof racks and extra weight, and drive smoothly at moderate speeds.
• Combine errands into one trip and share school runs or commutes with neighbours or colleagues, splitting the cost fairly.
• Check whether a car club, community transport scheme or a mix of car and bus would cost less for some journeys.
• Keep the vehicle maintained: a neglected car uses more fuel. Our guides to essential car repairs and car insurance costs cover the rest of the running costs.

Questions to ask before you pay

When travel costs keep a household afloat, it is worth asking a few direct questions:

• Is this journey refundable by the NHS, the Jobcentre, my employer or a charity?
• Can I claim the cost as a business expense or under a mileage allowance?
• Am I claiming every benefit I am entitled to, including disability and carer benefits?
• Is there a cheaper way to make some of these trips?

Answering them often reveals money that can be recovered every month rather than borrowed once.

When travel costs make work hard to sustain

If fuel for a long commute takes a large share of low or irregular earnings, tell your Universal Credit work coach. They can take travel costs and caring responsibilities into account when agreeing what work you are expected to look for, and may know of local schemes such as wheels-to-work moped loans, rural transport projects or employer-run minibuses. Some community transport services also take people to medical appointments or shopping for a small charge.

Students should ask their college or university about hardship or bursary funds, which often cover travel to placements. Parents on a low income can ask the council about help with transport to school or college for young people in further education. A conversation with an adviser at Citizens Advice can bring all of these options together in one plan rather than one emergency at a time.

Borrowing for fuel: only as a last resort

Fuel is an everyday cost, so borrowing to pay for it rarely solves the underlying problem and can quickly turn into a cycle of repeated debt. If there is truly no other option for an essential journey, compare carefully:

• Credit unions offer small loans at capped rates, often to members with a poor credit history, and some offer payroll savings to build a buffer.
• Budgeting advances from Universal Credit are interest-free, though repayments reduce your income for months afterwards.
• Family or friends: if someone can help, agree the amount and repayment dates clearly.

Always compare the APR and the total amount repayable. Avoid payday loans, rent-to-own deals and putting fuel on a credit card you cannot clear. Be wary of fuel card "offers" or lenders on social media that ask for a fee up front, request your bank login or promise approval regardless of your situation: these are common scams. If debts are already building up, our page on urgent debt repayments explains how to get free, confidential advice.