Moray is the third least-affordable part of Scotland for buying a full tank of petrol, according to new research from a price comparison website.
Despite having one of the lowest average petrol prices in the country, the relatively low average wage in the region means 19.21% of a week’s pay would go towards filling up.
That percentage is lower than only Angus (19.44%) and Dumfries and Galloway (19.21%).
By comparison, the research by Forbes Advisor said someone who earned the average wage in East Dunbartonshire would spend 13.53% of their weekly earnings on 55 litres of fuel to completely fill their tank.
Also in the north and north-east:
- Aberdeen City was the seventh least affordable place, with 18.42% of the average weekly wage going on an averagely priced full tank of fuel.
- Highland was ninth, at 17.53%
- Aberdeenshire was in 16th place, with 17.22%
- The Western Isles were the fifth most affordable place, at 15.67%
- Shetland was third most affordable with 14.43%
No figures for Orkney were provided.
The petrol prices used for the research were gathered on March 24, after Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s decision to cut fuel duty by 5p per litre.
‘Perfect storm of rising prices’
Kevin Pratt, personal finance spokesperson at Forbes Advisor, commented on the findings: “There’s a perfect storm of rising prices brewing at the moment which threatens to push people across Scotland towards genuine, deep financial hardship.
“Not just petrol, but gas and electricity bills, the cost of the weekly shop and services like mobile phones and broadband are just some of the bills that are rocketing upwards in an era of steepling inflation.
“This Friday (1 April) sees the latest hike in the domestic energy price cap. It is forecast to rise again sharply next October, when typical households could be facing annual bills of £2,500 – double what they are today.
“And let’s not forget that the cut in fuel duty is only temporary. If it is reinstated in 12 months, as planned, it will heap yet more unwelcome pressure on household budgets that are already stretched to – and in some cases beyond – breaking point.”
