The up to 12p off a litre of fuel is the biggest ever price cut by retailers in a bid to reduce the cost of motoring for the nation.

However, given the government guidelines to ‘stay at home to save lives’, motorists are reminded to only use their vehicles if necessary.

The pump price cut at Morrisons is effective at its 337 forecourts from today. Asda cut its prices early this morning across its 322 petrol stations.

Drivers filling up will pay no more than 102 ppl on unleaded and 108.7 ppl on diesel, which brings fuel prices down to its lowest since May 2016.

Asda senior fuel buyer, Dave Tyrer, said: “We want to do all we can to support the nation during this time and are cutting the price of fuel to give some additional support to those essential workers, such as NHS staff and key workers who are still required to make essential travel journeys to and from work.”

Ashley Myers, head of fuel for Morrisons, said: “We are playing our full part in reducing the cost of living and feeding the nation. This reduction in fuel prices will help motorists to save money at this difficult time. It’s more than our job.”

For a typical 50-litre fill up, motorists will save £6 on unleaded and £4 on diesel.

RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams, said the price of oil has fallen to an 18-year low so it was inevitable that pump prices would eventually follow suit.

“These savings will directly benefit those people who continue to rely on their vehicles for essential journeys. It is vital however that drivers heed government advice and only travel if it is absolutely needed.

“Drivers can expect to see petrol sold at supermarket forecourts for around 104p per litre as a result of these cuts, a price last seen nearly four years ago. Diesel should drop to around 111p per litre, and it was last sold at this sort of price in July 2017.

“However, there is a darker side to these price cuts. Smaller independent forecourts who will already have been struggling due to a loss of trade recently will be extremely hard-pushed to reduce their prices at the present time with fewer people driving. It’s crucial they stay in business as they provide such an important service to drivers in parts of the country where the supermarkets have no footprint.”