Cost of living
CPI inflation, annual rate
3.1%
2026 AUG · ▲ 0.2pp vs previous
Ageing · as of 16 Sept 2026due in 9d
26d old · Monthly, mid-month
Explained
How is UK inflation (CPI) measured?
The Consumer Prices Index tracks the price of a fixed basket of around 700 goods and services, surveyed each month at outlets across the UK.
What changed
Since previous release
+0.2 pts
vs 2026 JUL
Over 1 year
-0.7 pts
vs 2025 AUG
Over 10 years
+2.5 pts
vs 2016 AUG
Worked out from published values only. Missing comparisons mean that period was not published.
What it measures
CPI measures how the prices of a representative basket of consumer goods and services change over time. The 12-month rate compares prices today with the same month a year earlier. The basket and its weights are updated annually to reflect what households actually buy.
How it is compiled
The ONS collects hundreds of thousands of price quotes each month from shops and online retailers across the UK, then combines them using the basket weights. CPIH, which adds owner-occupiers' housing costs, is the ONS's lead measure; CPI is the internationally comparable one.
What it is not
It is not the cost of living for any individual household — everyone buys a different basket. It also excludes house prices themselves (mortgage interest and rents appear differently across CPI, CPIH and RPI), which is why the ONS publishes several measures side by side.
Methodology
ONS consumer price inflation methodologyUKStats reproduces the published figure exactly; the publisher's own methodology notes are the authoritative description of how it is compiled.
Cite this figure
Office for National Statistics, "CPI inflation, annual rate", 2026 AUG. Via UKStats (ukstats.co.uk/explained/uk-cpi), accessed 12 October 2026. Original: https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/inflationandpriceindices/timeseries/d7g7/mm23Embed this figure
<iframe src="https://ukstats.co.uk/embed/uk-cpi" width="360" height="220" style="border:0" title="CPI inflation, annual rate" loading="lazy"></iframe>