FairFuelUK poll says 22.5% of small firms cannot survive much longer as oil tops $116

A FairFuelUK survey of 6,607 UK small businesses says fuel costs are pushing firms to the edge as Brent crude climbs above $116 a barrel. The group warns rising pump prices could deepen pressure on jobs, investment and business closures if ministers do not act.

Why it matters: - FairFuelUK says Britain’s small-business sector is facing an economic squeeze as higher oil prices threaten to lift fuel costs again. - The poll suggests many firms are already close to the limit, with nearly one in four saying they cannot survive much longer. - Fuel costs can quickly feed into prices, cash flow, staffing and investment, which can spread pressure through the wider economy.

What happened: - Brent crude closed at about $116.72 a barrel, its highest level in nearly six months. - FairFuelUK said its October 2026 poll of 6,607 small businesses shows 43.9% are just about surviving. - The same poll found 30.4% are struggling to survive, 22.5% cannot survive much longer and only 3.1% are surviving comfortably.

The details: - When asked about the biggest impact of current fuel prices, 34.7% said they are being forced to raise prices. - Another 17.0% said fuel costs threaten the viability of their business. - 15.3% reported severe profit reductions and 13.3% said they are suffering cash-flow problems. - 8.6% said jobs are at risk, while 6.2% said they have delayed investment and expansion. - Only 5% said current fuel prices have had no significant effect. - Howard Cox, FairFuelUK founder, said oil above $116 should be setting off alarms in government. - Cox also said many firms have run out of resilience and that transport costs are suffocating growth. - Cox argued that fuel spikes affect builders’ vans, taxis, delivery vehicles, farmers’ tractors and heavy goods vehicles, and then flow through to food prices, services, inflation, investment and jobs.

Between the lines: - The poll is a pressure campaign as much as a snapshot, designed to argue that fuel policy is now a business-survival issue, not just a consumer issue. - FairFuelUK is framing the UK as an outlier, saying many other countries have already responded with tax cuts, subsidies or rebates. - The group’s message is that higher fuel duty and related charges hit small firms first and can then feed into broader inflation. - The source includes several anonymous business comments describing doubled fuel bills, weaker demand, higher supplier costs and cancelled hiring plans, underscoring the poll’s central claim.

What’s next: - FairFuelUK is pressing ministers to offer relief as oil prices remain elevated. - The campaign says it will continue pushing on fuel duty, VAT on duty, pump price transparency, congestion charges, ULEZ, and the planned 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel car sales. - The group also says it wants more investment in roads, a long-term transport plan and lower motoring costs.

The bottom line: - FairFuelUK’s poll portrays a sector under immediate strain, with higher oil prices threatening to turn an already fragile cash-flow problem into more closures, layoffs and price rises.