Inflation United Kingdom 2019

Average inflation: 1.8%

Current Inflation

Inflation is low at 1.8%, below the ECB target of 2%.

Peak and Trough

The highest inflation was in April at 2.0%. The lowest inflation was in December at 1.4%.

Highest month
April: 2.0%
Lowest month
December: 1.4%
Difference
0.6 percentage points
Months with data
12 of 12

Category Insights

The highest price increase was in Communication with an average of 3.9%. The lowest price increase was in Clothing and footwear with an average of -0.9%.

Highest increase
Communication: 3.9%
Lowest increase
Clothing and footwear: -0.9%

Historical Context

Current inflation is around the 5-year average of 1.6%.

5-year average
1.6%
10-year average
2.1%
All-time high (2011)
3.8%
All-time low (2015)
0.4%

Trend

Inflation has remained relatively stable. Compared to 2018, the difference is minimal (-0.5 percentage point).

Change vs. previous year
-0.5 percentage points
Largest monthly swing
January: -0.9 percentage points

ECB Target

Inflation is close to the ECB target of 2.0%.

Purchasing Power

At this inflation rate, purchasing power gradually decreases. The impact on daily expenses is relatively limited.

What you could buy for €100 this year will cost approximately €101.80 next year at this inflation rate.

Multi-year trend

Monthly figures 2019

Inflation by category

Food and non-alcoholic beverages
1.4%
-0.4vs avg.
More details →
Alcoholic beverages, tobacco and narcotics
3.5%
+1.7vs avg.
More details →
Clothing and footwear
-0.9%
-2.7vs avg.
More details →
Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels
1.7%
-0.1vs avg.
More details →
Furnishings, household equipment and maintenance
0.9%
-0.9vs avg.
More details →
Health
2.6%
+0.8vs avg.
More details →
Transport
2.0%
+0.2vs avg.
More details →
Communication
3.9%
+2.1vs avg.
More details →
Recreation and culture
1.9%
+0.1vs avg.
More details →
Education
3.0%
+1.2vs avg.
More details →
Restaurants and hotels
2.7%
+0.9vs avg.
More details →
Miscellaneous goods and services
1.3%
-0.5vs avg.
More details →

Inflation differs per product group. Click on a category for the historical trend.

Month overview

Month Inflation Difference vs. 2018
January 1.8% -0.9
February 1.8% -0.7
March 1.8% -0.5
April 2.0% -0.2
May 1.9% -0.4
June 1.9% -0.4
July 2.0% -0.3
August 1.7% -0.7
September 1.7% -0.5
October 1.5% -0.7
November 1.5% -0.7
December 1.4% -0.6
Average 1.8%

Data source

Data from OECD. Last updated: 11/01/2026.

See also