UK consumer price inflation rate
UK consumer price inflation rate stood at 3.09% 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 1916 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) | |||||||||||
| Inflation rate | 3.09 | 2.81 | 2.59 | 2.89 | 2.82 | 3.3 | 3.01 | 3.03 | 3.32 | 3.26 | |
| 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 |
Understanding UK consumer price inflation rate
Measuring the annual percentage change in the cost of a representative consumer basket across the United Kingdom, this indicator serves as the primary headline barometer of consumer price inflation. It captures the speed at which overall retail prices rise or fall across all major spending divisions, combining goods and services into a single macroeconomic gauge. It differs from index level series by converting cumulative price levels into a dynamic velocity rate, showing whether price growth is accelerating or decelerating.
Interpreting this rate requires awareness of base effects, where unusual price movements from twelve months prior can heavily influence the current period's reading regardless of recent monthly trends. Seasonality is naturally dampened by comparing identical months across successive years, though volatile sub-components like energy and food can still impart transient noise. Analysts should examine this metric alongside core measures that exclude volatile items to distinguish broad-based inflationary pressures from temporary commodity price shocks across the United Kingdom.
Frequently asked questions
- Why is the twelve-month comparison preferred over month-on-month changes for this rate?
- Comparing a month with the same month a year prior neutralises normal seasonal price swings, providing a clearer view of underlying inflation momentum.
- What are base effects in the context of this inflation rate?
- Base effects occur when unusually high or low price movements from twelve months earlier drop out of the calculation, altering the current annual rate without any new price shift.
- Does this headline rate include owner-occupier housing costs?
- Standard consumer price index inflation excludes owner-occupier housing costs, which are captured in alternative sibling measures within the wider inflation framework.