Drivers warned over 'hidden' £100 charge at major supermarket petrol stations including Tesco, Asda and Morrisons
Motorists are being alerted to a substantial but temporary 'hidden charge' that could come as a surprise when refuelling at petrol stations.
Concern is spreading among drivers amid speculation that the Government could hike fuel duty in the forthcoming October Budget, fuelling worries about potentially excessive costs at the pump. Nevertheless, an enlightening blog post by Scottish wrong fuel repair firm Simple Fuel Solutions aims to allay fears, clarifying that a £100 charge appearing on payment cards is likely only an authorisation amount.
They explained: "Until lately, if you used Pay at Pump, the fuel station would temporarily reserve a small amount of money on your card. This was the case for most cards and most banks. But a brand new system has now been introduced by Visa, MasterCard, and American Express."
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"The new authorisation amount is up to £100 on your card, which will apply to everyone. Though the amount held may often be £99, the idea is to ensure you have enough funds to afford the fuel."
Almost all petrol stations across the UK allow drivers to pay at the pump using a card, which many see as quicker and more convenient, not having to walk over to a cashier who may be serving other customers. However, in order to prevent drivers not being able to pay, almost all petrol stations will briefly deduct £100 from their credit or debit card, the Express reports.
This money will return shortly afterwards, and drivers will pay the exact amount that the petrol or diesel they put into their vehicle cost. While the £100 authorisation amount can be somewhat disconcerting at first, many drivers are able to benefit from it when visiting their local petrol station.
Since many require motorists to insert their card before they can fill up their tank, some systems allow them to cap their spending to a certain figure. By doing this, drivers are unable to accidentally go over a certain price or litre of fuel, shutting off the fuel pump once it reaches the right amount.
Currently, few drivers need to spend more than £100 when they visit the petrol station, a potential alteration to fuel duty in the October Budget may change that. While fuel duty currently stands at 53p, some motoring experts suspect that the Government may reverse the 5p cut that was made in early 2022 and add a further 10p to it.
If this change goes ahead and directly affects the cost of petrol and diesel, drivers may have to pay around £5 more each time they fill up the tank of their vehicle.