How’s the UK Doing?UK economic statistics, explained
How’s the UK Doing?

How fast are prices rising?

How much prices have risen over the past year

3.1%

in the 12 months to August 2026

Up from 2.9% in July 2026

Warning signPrices are rising faster than the 2% target.Why this signal?

Where this sits in the last 10 years
10-year low 0.2%10-year high 11.1%
Published
Next update
in 10 days

Recent figures may be revised.

Forecast

Bank of England expects prices to be 3.2% higher in October to December 2026 than a year earlier (July 2026 Monetary Policy Report).

Inflation (CPI)

August 2026 · 3.1%, down 0.7 percentage points on a year earlier

Good signNeutralWarning sign

  1. Household energy bills rise

Good signNeutralWarning sign

  1. Covid lockdown
  2. Household energy bills rise

Good signNeutralWarning sign

  1. Household energy bills rise
  1. Household energy bills rise

Good signNeutralWarning sign

Usual range (middle 80% of the last 10 years)

Each year is the average of the monthly 12-month rates. It is not the rise in prices over that year. 2026 so far covers January to August.

Each month is that month's figure, not a total so far. 2026 so far covers January to August.

Source: Office for National Statistics

What this means for people

When prices rise faster, the same money buys less than it did a year ago.

£100 of the official price basket a year ago now costs about £103.10.

Pay after inflation was 0.6%, May to July 2026. See pay after inflation

The Consumer Prices Index compares a large basket of things people buy, such as food, energy, clothes and travel, with the same basket a year earlier.

The government sets the Bank of England a target of 2%. The Bank moves Bank Rate to try to keep the rate close to that target. Some prices rise faster than others, so households that spend more on those items feel it more.

Latest figures

See the figures as a table
PeriodValue
August 20263.1%
July 20262.9%
June 20262.6%
May 20262.8%
April 20262.8%
March 20263.3%
February 20263.0%
January 20263.0%
December 20253.4%
November 20253.2%
October 20253.6%
September 20253.8%
Each year is the average of the monthly 12-month rates. It is not the rise in prices over that year.
YearPeriod coveredValue
2026 so farJanuary to August2.9%
2025January to December3.4%
2024January to December2.5%
2023January to December7.4%
2022January to December9.0%
2021January to December2.6%
2020January to December0.9%
2019January to December1.8%
2018January to December2.5%
2017January to December2.7%
2016January to December0.7%
2015January to December0.0%
Each month
Period2023202420252026 so far
January10.1%4.0%3.0%3.0%
February10.4%3.4%2.8%3.0%
March10.1%3.2%2.6%3.3%
April8.7%2.3%3.5%2.8%
May8.7%2.0%3.4%2.8%
June7.9%2.0%3.6%2.6%
July6.8%2.2%3.8%2.9%
August6.7%2.2%3.8%3.1%
September6.7%1.7%3.8%
October4.6%2.3%3.6%
November3.9%2.6%3.2%
December4.0%2.5%3.4%

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How to read this

A rate, not a price level

This is how fast prices are rising, not how high they are. A lower rate means prices are rising more slowly. Prices fall only when the rate is below zero.

Compared with a year ago

Each figure compares prices with the same month a year earlier. It is not the change since last month.

Your own prices may differ

The basket is an average of what people buy. Your prices may rise faster or slower, depending on what you spend money on.

Leaves out some housing costs

Council tax is left out, as is the cost of housing services for an owner. CPIH, the wider measure, includes both.

Source

Publisher
Office for National Statistics
Official title
Consumer Prices Index (CPI), 12-month rate
Series
D7G7
Geography
United Kingdom
Status
Accredited official statistics
How we worked this out
Prices rose 3.1% in a year, so £100 of shopping then costs about £103.10 now.
Cite this

Office for National Statistics (2026) Consumer Prices Index (CPI), 12-month rate, in the 12 months to August 2026 (series D7G7).