NEW research has suggested that rising fuel prices are forcing thousands of younger staff to cut back on food or think about changing jobs just to keep their cars on the road.

The study from CarMoney reveals that fuel inflation is disproportionately impacting younger professionals.

The figures reveal that 21 per cent of motorists aged 18 to 24 have cut their grocery budgets or even skipped meals entirely to ensure they can afford the petrol needed for their commute.

However, this pressure drops significantly among older demographics, affecting fewer than four per cent of drivers aged 65 and over.

Forecourt price hikes have become such a heavy burden that 12 per cent of these younger workers have considered quitting their jobs because their fuel spend on fuel leaves them with too little of their salary. By comparison, this issue barely registers among established professionals over 55, with fewer than two per cent facing the same decision.

While working from home is often seen as a lifestyle choice, younger employees are increasingly doing it out of pure financial necessity. Around 19 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds are staying away from the office purely because they cannot afford the petrol to get there.

Andrew Marshall, marketing director of CarMoney, said: "Having a car is supposed to give you independence and open up career options, but current pump prices are forcing younger workers into some incredibly tough choices. When a fifth of the youngest workforce is juggling their grocery budget just to pay for the drive to work, transport costs stop being a standard monthly bill and start dictating where and how people can afford to be employed. Getting through this takes some serious budgeting, and younger drivers are clearly having to make the biggest personal sacrifices just to keep up with their normal working week."