UK consumer price index
UK consumer price index stood at 160.57 in Aug 2026, according to Bank for International Settlements (BIS). It is one of the indicators in the Consumer price inflation table (Value · Monthly), with a complete series running from Jan 1915 to Aug 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Consumer price inflation table
| Indicator | 08-2026 | 07-2026 | 06-2026 | 05-2026 | 04-2026 | 03-2026 | 02-2026 | 01-2026 | 12-2025 | 11-2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer prices, monthly since 1915 (BIS) | |||||||||||
| Consumer price index (2010 = 100) | 160.57 | 159.78 | 159.34 | 159.22 | 158.89 | 157.66 | 156.65 | 155.98 | 156.65 | 155.98 | |
| Inflation rate | 3.09 | 2.81 | 2.59 | 2.89 | 2.82 | 3.3 | 3.01 | 3.03 | 3.32 | 3.26 |
Understanding UK consumer price index
Tracking the long-run evolution of consumer purchasing power across the United Kingdom, this index establishes a benchmarked reference level against which price changes are measured over decades. It aggregates a representative basket of goods and services—covering food, clothing, housing, transport, and recreation—expressed relative to a fixed base period. Unlike annual inflation rates that show year-on-year velocity, this series provides the cumulative level of consumer prices, illustrating the long-term erosion of money's purchasing power.
Historical continuity requires careful handling of methodological transitions, rebasing exercises, and major classification overhauls that have occurred since the series began. While monthly movements are generally modest, structural breaks can arise from retail methodology updates or changes in data collection techniques. Analysts should use this index when calculating long-term purchasing power parity or adjusting historical monetary values, but should consult the companion annual inflation rate series for assessing short-term price growth velocity.
Frequently asked questions
- What base period does this long-run index reference?
- The index is anchored to a standard reference period where the average price level equals one hundred.
- Can this index be used to calculate total percentage inflation over multi-decade spans?
- Yes, comparing index values between distant historical months reveals the cumulative percentage change in consumer prices over that entire span.
- How are discontinued products handled in a series running across many decades?
- Statistical compilers use quality-adjusted splicing methods to chain new product varieties into the index without creating artificial leaps in the historical series.