UK CPI basket weight: communication
UK CPI basket weight: communication stood at 24.37 parts per 1000 in 2026, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS). It is one of the indicators in the Consumer price index weights table (Value · Annual), with a complete series running from 1988 to 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Consumer price index weights table
| Indicator | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPI basket, all items | 1,000 | 1,000 | 1,000 | 1,000 | 1,000 | 1,000 | 1,000 | 1,000 | 1,000 | 1,000 | |
| CPI weight by division | |||||||||||
| Communication | 24.37 | 24.43 | 23.09 | 23 | 25 | 25 | 21 | 24 | 24 | 25 |
Understanding UK CPI basket weight: communication
This component captures the proportion of the consumer price basket dedicated to postal services, telephone equipment, internet access, and telecommunication transmission services within the United Kingdom. It distinguishes electronic and postal messaging outlays from general recreational media and office supplies. The category reflects household expenditure on connectivity infrastructure and the tools required for interpersonal communication.
Interpreting this series requires accounting for rapid technological evolution, where service bundles combining internet, telephony, and television frequently complicate price collection and weighting methodologies. Long-term comparisons reveal how falling real costs for data transmission have altered the relative share of communications within total household budgets. Analysts should note that structural shifts in contract pricing models can induce sharp annual adjustments in how communication services are valued.
Frequently asked questions
- Are television broadcast licence fees included here?
- No, television licences and broadcast subscriptions are categorised under recreation and culture.
- Does this series cover mobile phone handset purchases?
- Yes, telephone equipment including mobile handsets bought by consumers is captured within this division.
- How are bundled telecommunication packages handled?
- Price statisticians allocate bundled services across appropriate sub-components based on estimated standalone values.