CPI inflation, 12-month rate, United Kingdom
CPI inflation, 12-month rate in the United Kingdom was 3.10% in , up 0.20 pp from and down 0.70 pp from a year earlier. Over the latest 12 readings it moved between 2.60% and 3.80%. The next reading is for September 2026. Source: ONS, ONS MM23, CDID D7G7; history from .
Key takeaways
- CPI inflation, 12-month rate at 3.10% in beats 68% of readings since (ONS).
- Against a ten-year average of 3.48%, CPI inflation, 12-month rate is below that norm by 0.38 pp (ONS).
- On CPI inflation, 12-month rate, the United Kingdom ranks 3rd highest of 4 countries (national publishers).
What this indicator is and why it matters
CPI inflation, 12-month rate, is the percent change in the UK consumer prices index compared with the same month a year earlier, as published by the Office for National Statistics around the middle of the following month (CDID D7G7).
It is the measure the Bank of England is required to target: the government sets the target at 2%, and if CPI inflation moves more than one percentage point above or below it, the Governor must write an open letter to the Chancellor explaining why and what the Bank will do. Movements in this rate therefore shape expectations for Bank Rate, gilt yields and mortgage pricing, and they feed into wage negotiations across the economy.
Points to watch. UK inflation has been heavily affected by energy prices, which pass through to households via the regulator's price cap with a delay of several months, so changes in the cap can make the 12-month rate jump in a single month. CPI excludes owner-occupiers' housing costs and council tax; the ONS's broader CPIH measure includes them and can run higher or lower. And like any 12-month rate, it keeps last year's price shocks in the figure until they drop out of the comparison.
Where it sits in history
CPI inflation, 12-month rate is at its highest since , when it stood at 3.30%. Within ten years, CPI inflation, 12-month rate beats 64% of readings.
| Window | Latest is higher than | Average | Highest | Lowest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Since January 2006 | 68% of readings | 2.93% | 11.10% | -0.10% |
| Last ten years | 64% of readings | 3.48% | 11.10% | 0.20% |
| Last five years | 30% of readings | 5.12% | 11.10% | 1.70% |
- CPI inflation, 12-month rate 3.1%
Recent readings
Last five years
- CPI inflation, 12-month rate 3.1%
Latest readings
| Period | Value | Change from previous |
|---|---|---|
| 3.10% | +0.20 pp | |
| 2.90% | +0.30 pp | |
| 2.60% | -0.20 pp | |
| 2.80% | 0.00 pp | |
| 2.80% | -0.50 pp | |
| 3.30% | +0.30 pp | |
| 3.00% | 0.00 pp | |
| 3.00% | -0.40 pp | |
| 3.40% | +0.20 pp | |
| 3.20% | -0.40 pp | |
| 3.60% | -0.20 pp | |
| 3.80% | 0.00 pp | |
| 3.80% | 0.00 pp |
Annual averages
By calendar-year average, CPI inflation, 12-month rate peaked in (9.05%) and bottomed in (0.04%). 2026 to date: 2.94%, after 3.38% in 2025.
| Year | Average | Low | High | Readings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (part year) | 2.94% | 2.60% | 3.30% | 8 |
| 2025 | 3.38% | 2.60% | 3.80% | 12 |
| 2024 | 2.53% | 1.70% | 4.00% | 12 |
| 2023 | 7.38% | 3.90% | 10.40% | 12 |
| 2022 | 9.05% | 5.50% | 11.10% | 12 |
| 2021 | 2.57% | 0.40% | 5.40% | 12 |
| 2020 | 0.85% | 0.20% | 1.80% | 12 |
| 2019 | 1.79% | 1.30% | 2.10% | 12 |
| 2018 | 2.48% | 2.10% | 3.00% | 12 |
| 2017 | 2.68% | 1.80% | 3.10% | 12 |
| 2016 | 0.68% | 0.30% | 1.60% | 12 |
| 2015 | 0.04% | -0.10% | 0.30% | 12 |
| 2014 | 1.46% | 0.50% | 1.90% | 12 |
| 2013 | 2.57% | 2.00% | 2.90% | 12 |
| 2012 | 2.84% | 2.20% | 3.60% | 12 |
| 2011 | 4.48% | 4.00% | 5.20% | 12 |
| 2010 | 3.31% | 3.00% | 3.70% | 12 |
| 2009 | 2.18% | 1.10% | 3.20% | 12 |
| 2008 | 3.61% | 2.20% | 5.20% | 12 |
| 2007 | 2.34% | 1.80% | 3.10% | 12 |
| 2006 | 2.32% | 1.80% | 3.00% | 12 |
Same measure in other countries
CPI inflation, 12-month rate in the United Kingdom is above 1 of the other 3 comparable readings. Four countries compared.
| Country | Series | Latest | Period | Change on a year earlier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | CPI inflation, 12-month rate | 3.10% | -0.70 pp | |
| United States | CPI inflation, 12-month change | 3.74% | September 2026 | +0.73 pp |
| Canada | CPI inflation, 12-month change | 3.09% | September 2026 | +0.73 pp |
| Australia | CPI inflation, change from a year earlier | 3.94% | Q2 2026 | +1.85 pp |
Compared with CPIH inflation, 12-month rate
CPI inflation, 12-month rate was 0.20 pp below CPIH inflation, 12-month rate in . The two differ by owner-occupiers' housing costs, which CPIH includes and CPI leaves out. A year earlier, in , the figure was -0.30 pp. Five-year range: -1.00 pp () to 1.50 pp ().
- CPI inflation, 12-month rate 3.1%
- CPIH inflation, 12-month rate 3.3%
How is it measured?
CPI all items, percent change over 12 months, as published by the ONS.
ONS publishes CPI inflation, 12-month rate monthly in ONS MM23, CDID D7G7, in percent and is not seasonally adjusted. Code: D7G7/MM23. Method for CPI inflation, 12-month rate.
Questions
How high is CPI inflation, 12-month rate in the United Kingdom now?
3.10% in (ONS), down 0.70 pp on a year earlier.
Is CPI inflation, 12-month rate high by historical standards?
CPI inflation, 12-month rate beats 68% of readings since ; its peak was 11.10% (), its low -0.10% ().
When is CPI inflation, 12-month rate updated?
Monthly, in ONS MM23, CDID D7G7. Next reading: September 2026.
Where can I check CPI inflation, 12-month rate at the source?
ONS data, code D7G7/MM23.