Farmers are being urged to fill up their fuel tanks ahead of expected rises in fuel duty set within the autumn budget.

Businesses that buy their fuel in bulk are set to be in for a 'very painful shock' if the new Labour government goes ahead with an increase in fuel duty.

Having remained frozen since 2011, Labour is yet to rule out an increase later this month as part of the budget.

Yorkshire-based fuel distributor Craggs Energy has announced the warning as they foresee a rise of up to 10p per litre.

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This rate may be possible if the chancellor unveils an increase in fuel duty by 5p/litre and removes the temporary 5p/litre cut in fuel duty introduced under the Conservative government in March 2022.

Removing the 5p discount alone would bring the treasury an additional £2 billion annually.

The message follows warnings from the prime minister that the government’s budget on 30 October is going to be 'painful', with people having to accept 'short-term pain for long-term good'.

Previously, Sir Kier Starmer refused to rule out a fuel duty increase during the run up to the general election.

Craggs Energy said businesses that buy their fuel in bulk – including agricultural contractors and farmers operating agricultural equipment – should take action now by ordering fuel deliveries ahead of 30 October.

At a 10p/litre increase in fuel duty, businesses could face extra costs of hundreds or even thousands of pounds, it warned.

Some of its larger customers, who typically order 18,000l of fuel, would see a £1800 increase on orders arriving after midnight on October 30.

Matthew Crockett, managing director of the fuel distributor, said businesses that order early would be able to avoid the 'painful' uplift in fuel duty, as well as the potential for last-minute panic buying.

He said: "Our worry is that many businesses and farms will be exceptionally busy at this time of year. For them it could be all too easy to fail to order fuel in good time, costing them dearly.

"We want to help avoid that by getting the message out there so that businesses order ahead to avoid what could otherwise be a very expensive oversight.”