UK inflation holds steady at 4% in January

UK headline CPI inflation came in lower than expected for January at an annual 4.0% – against the consensus forecast for 4.2%. That means inflation remained level at 4.0% from December, with prices falling by -0.6% in monthly terms. Core CPI inflation (excluding energy, food, alcohol and tobacco) also held steady month-on-month at 5.1% while CPIH inflation, which includes owner …

UK inflation falls further than expected in November at 3.9%

‘The Bank of England now certainly faces a less daunting task’ The UK Consumer Prices Index (CPI) has dropped to 3.9% in the year to November 2023, according to data from the Office for National Statistics released today (20 December). The fall defied expectations, as economists had forecast inflation to decrease to 4.4% for the month from 4.6% in October …

UK inflation sharply falls in October to 4.6%

Official figures show inflation down from 6.7% in September UK inflation declined sharply in October, falling to an annualised rate of 4.6% from 6.7% in September, according to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The drop in housing prices was the largest contribution to the fall in inflation, contributing 1.6 percentage points to the 2.1 percentage point decline. …

Bank Rate Steady At 5.25% As Central Banks Push Pause Button

The Bank of England has left borrowing costs untouched for the second time in a row, as monetary policymakers around the world press pause in their fight against inflation. In a widely expected move, the Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), voted 6-3 to maintain the Bank Rate at a 15-year high of 5.25%. The three in the minority voted to …

Govt stealth tax sees IHT bills hit record £3.9bn

HMRC took in £3.9bn from inheritance in six months to end of September, £400m more than in the same period last year. The government collected a record amount from inheritance tax (IHT) in the six months to the end of September as frozen thresholds mean more estates are being hit by the tax. HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) took in …

State pension set to rise 8.5% as CPI inflation remains ‘steady’

UK inflation remained steady last month as prices rose 6.7% year-on-year meaning pensioners are likely to get a bumper 8.5% increase in their state pension next year under the triple lock policy. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said on 18 October that prices had risen by 0.5% between August and September, matching market expectations. Core inflation, which excludes energy, …