I calculate my average bill for petrol as being just £668 as my mileage annually is very low and I drive a car with a fairly efficient engine.Of that amount, £318 is petrol duty and £99 is VAT - which is of course, taxing me on top of taxation already paid - clever but sickening!
The actual cost of my fuel is just £251.
Next time you complain about the oil companies, remember that the cost of a litre of petrol is actually around 37 pence.This figure represents research, production, refining, transport and filling station profits.Oil company profits are therefore only a fraction of this 37 pence. It is only the sheer volume of trade which enables them to put smiles on shareholders' faces.
So, as near as makes no difference, two thirds of what I pay goes to the government and one third to the producers.
Remember that whenever the oil company ups the price by one penny at the pumps - the government is upping it by a further two. Ohh, thanks Mr Darling for not adding the planned extra 2p a litre on top - well postponing it and getting us later, anyway!
One really positive thing about this iniquitous level of taxation on fuel is that it will mean that fewer poor people can afford to run a car and surely that is what should be our oh-so-green target!
