United Kingdom Inflation Rate 1989-2015

Consumer prices in the United Kingdom increased 2.3 percent year-on- year in February of 2017, above 1.8 percent in January and beating expectations of 2.1 percent. It is the highest inflation rate since September of 2013, boosted by rising fuel prices while food cost increased for the first time in 34 months. Inflation Rate in the United Kingdom averaged 2.58 percent from 1989 until 2017, reaching an all time high of 8.50 percent in April of 1991 and a record low of -0.10 percent in April of 2015.

Consumer prices index (CPI) is the government’s preferred measure of inflation. It is used for international comparison and the government inflation target for the Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee. It is available as an index from January 1997, with estimates back to 1988. It excludes mortgage interest payments and council tax. As of the 2010 budget, CPI as part of the triple-lock, is used to index state pensions in place of Retail Price Index (RPI).

Why is inflation important?

Keeping a healthy cash flow throughout your life is essential and one of the biggest risks to capital is inflation risk. It is important this is taken into account with our recommendations and considered when discussing your attitude to investment risk within our client meetings.