Inflation United Kingdom 2026
Average inflation: 3.2%
Inflation in 2026
Inflation is high at 3.2%, well above the ECB target.
Peak and Trough
The highest inflation was in September at 3.6%. The lowest inflation was in June at 2.8%.
- Highest month
- September: 3.6%
- Lowest month
- June: 2.8%
- Difference
- 0.8 percentage points
- Months with data
- 9 of 12
Category Insights
The highest price increase was in Education with an average of 5.1%. The lowest price increase was in Clothing and footwear with an average of 0.1%.
- Highest increase
- Education: 5.1%
- Lowest increase
- Clothing and footwear: 0.1%
Historical Context
Inflation is 1.8 percentage points lower than the 5-year average of 5.0%.
- 5-year average
- 5%
- 10-year average
- 3.5%
- All-time high (2022)
- 7.9%
- All-time low (2015)
- 0.4%
Trend
Over the period 2024-2026, inflation has remained relatively stable. Compared to 2025, inflation has fallen by 0.7 percentage points.
- Change vs. previous year
- -0.7 percentage points
- Largest monthly swing
- June: -1.3 percentage points
ECB Target
Inflation is 1.2 percentage points above the ECB target of 2.0%. This means purchasing power is declining faster than intended.
Purchasing Power
At this inflation rate, purchasing power noticeably decreases. Without a salary increase, you can buy less with the same money.
What you could buy for £100 this year will cost approximately £103.20 next year at this inflation rate.
Multi-year trend
Monthly figures 2026
Inflation by category
Inflation differs per product group. Click on a category for the historical trend.
Month overview
| Month | Inflation | Difference vs. 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| January | 3.2% | -0.7 |
| February | 3.2% | -0.5 |
| March | 3.4% | 0.0 |
| April | 3.0% | -1.1 |
| May | 3.0% | -1.0 |
| June | 2.8% | -1.3 |
| July | 3.1% | -1.1 |
| August | 3.3% | -0.8 |
| September | 3.6% | -0.5 |
| Average | 3.2% |
Data source
Data from OECD. Last updated: 25/10/2026. Not all months available yet.