Consumer price inflation, UK: June 2019

• The Consumer Prices Index including owner occupiers’ housing costs (CPIH) 12-month inflation rate was 1.9% in June 2019, unchanged from May 2019.

• The largest downward contributions to change in the 12-month rate between May and June 2019 came from motor fuels, accommodation services and electricity, gas and other fuels, with prices in each category falling between May and June 2019 compared with price rises between the same two months a year ago.

• The largest offsetting upward contributions to change came from clothing and food.

• The Consumer Prices Index (CPI) 12-month rate was 2.0% in June 2019, unchanged from May 2019.

CPIH 12-month inflation rate

The Consumer Prices Index including owner occupiers’ housing costs (CPIH) 12-month rate was 1.9% in June 2019, unchanged from May 2019.

The Consumer Prices Index (CPI) 12-month rate was 2.0% in June 2019, unchanged from May 2019.

Table 1 presents the index numbers and inflation rates for CPIH, CPI and the owner occupiers’ housing costs (OOH) component of CPIH.

Figure 1 compares the 12-month inflation rates for CPIH, CPI and the OOH component of CPIH. Given that OOH accounts for around 17% of CPIH, it is the main driver for differences between the CPIH and CPI inflation rates.

Contributions to CPIH 12-month inflation rate

Figure 2 shows the extent to which the different categories of goods and services have contributed to the overall CPIH 12-month rate over the last two years.

The largest upward contribution to the CPIH 12-month rate continues to come from housing and household services in June 2019, with prices rising by 2.1% on the year. Housing and household services has provided the largest contribution for the last eight months. Within the group (which contributed 0.62 percentage points to the overall rate), the largest contributions were from electricity, gas and other fuels (a 0.21 percentage point contribution), and owner occupiers’ housing costs (a 0.19 percentage point contribution).

There was also a large upward contribution from transport, where prices rose by 2.3% on the year, down from 2.7% in May 2019. With the exception of September 2009, the largest contribution to the CPIH 12-month rate has always come from either housing and household services or transport.

Clothing and footwear was the only broad group producing a downward contribution in June 2019, reflecting a fall in prices of 0.4% on the year. The contribution from this category has been negative for 10 months, though it is less negative in June this year than in other recent months.

Contributions to change in CPIH 12-month inflation rate

Figure 3 shows how each of the main groups of goods and services contributed to the change in the Consumer Prices Index including owner occupiers’ housing costs (CPIH) 12-month rate between May and June 2019. The corresponding figures for the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) can be found in column F of Table 26 in the Consumer price inflation dataset.

The largest downward contribution to the change in the CPIH 12-month rate came from housing and household services, where prices were little changed between May and June this year but rose by 0.2% between the same two months a year ago. Within this broad category, the downward effect came from gas and electricity, as a result of some suppliers increasing their prices in June 2018. This increase was not repeated in June 2019.

There was also a large downward contribution from transport, with prices rising by 0.4% between May and June this year compared with a larger 0.8% rise between the same two months a year ago. The main downward effect came from motor fuels. Petrol prices fell by 0.1 pence per litre between May and June 2019 compared with a rise of 2.7 pence per litre a year ago. They now stand on average at 128.2 pence per litre. Similarly, diesel prices fell by 1.5 pence per litre this year, to stand at 134.3 pence per litre, compared with a rise of 2.9 pence per litre a year ago. The purchase of vehicles produced a smaller downward effect but this was offset by a small upward effect from transport services (particularly rail and sea transport) with prices rising this year by more than a year ago.

Restaurants and hotels produced a downward contribution, with prices for accommodation services, particularly overnight hotel accommodation, falling this year compared with a rise in June 2018. The fall into June 2019 follows a relatively large increase between April and May this year.

The largest offsetting upward contribution to the change in the CPIH 12-month rate came from clothing and footwear, with prices falling by 1.0% between May and June 2019 compared with a larger fall of 2.1% between the same two months in 2018. Prices usually fall between May and June as the summer sales season begins, but the fall in 2018 was the largest since 2012. The main contributions came from across a wide range of men’s and women’s clothing.

Food and non-alcoholic beverages also produced a large upward contribution as prices rose this year but fell a year ago. The main upward effect came from fruit, particularly blueberries and raspberries.

A smaller upward contribution came from furniture, household equipment and maintenance, with prices of non-durable household goods, such as household cleaner cream, rising this year but falling a year ago.

Owner occupiers’ housing costs

Figure 4 shows the contribution of owner occupiers’ housing costs (OOH) and Council Tax to the Consumer Prices Index including owner occupiers’ housing costs (CPIH) inflation rate in the context of wider housing-related costs. The contribution from OOH had been on a downward trend from a high in October 2016. However, it has stabilised over the last year and was the largest contribution to the CPIH 12-month rate from all the housing and household services categories for the first three months of 2019.

Electricity, gas and other fuels made a negative contribution during 2015 and 2016 but subsequent rises, most notably in electricity prices, saw the contribution turn positive through 2017 into 2018. Further electricity and gas price rises in summer and autumn 2018 increased their contribution to the CPIH 12-month rate. The introduction of Ofgem’s initial energy price cap resulted in reduced contributions to the CPIH 12-month rate for January to March 2019, but the contribution increased in April 2019 as energy providers responded to the latest change in the price cap. In the latest month, the contribution has fallen back slightly as price rises in June last year have had a downward effect on the 12-month rate for this category.

Increases in Council Tax starting in 2016 mean that its contribution has risen over recent years, though there was little change in the contribution when the 2019 increases were introduced in April this year. Conversely, the reduction in the contribution from rents is likely to be a result of a policy to reduce social housing rent starting from April 2016, although the contribution has risen slightly over the last year. Other housing costs (namely regular maintenance and repair, along with water and sewerage services) tend to make small contributions to the 12-month rate.

Consumer price inflation tables
Dataset |Released on 17 July 2019

Measures of monthly UK inflation data including Consumer Prices Index including owner occupiers’ housing costs (CPIH), Consumer Prices Index (CPI) and Retail Prices Index (RPI). These tables complement the consumer price inflation time series dataset.

Consumer price inflation time series
Dataset | Dataset ID: MM23 | Released on 17 July 2019

Comprehensive database of time series covering measures of inflation data for the UK including CPIH, CPI and RPI.

Consumer price inflation

Consumer price inflation is the rate at which the prices of goods and services bought by households rise or fall. It is estimated by using price indices. Consumer price indices – a brief guide gives an overview of the indices and their uses.

12-month inflation rate

The most common approach to measuring inflation is the 12-month inflation rate, which compares prices for the latest month with the same month a year ago. In any given month, the 12-month rate is determined by the balance between upward and downward price movements of the range of goods and services included in the index.

Consumer Prices Index including owner occupiers’ housing costs (CPIH)

CPIH is the most comprehensive measure of inflation. It extends the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) to include a measure of the costs associated with owning, maintaining and living in one’s own home, known as owner occupiers’ housing costs (OOH), along with Council Tax. Both of these are significant expenses for many households and are not included in the CPI.

Consumer Prices Index (CPI)

CPI is a measure of consumer price inflation produced to international standards and in line with European regulations. First published in 1997 as the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), the CPI is the inflation measure used in the government’s target for inflation.

CPI is produced at the same level of detail as CPIH, in the accompanying dataset and time series.

Retail Prices Index (RPI)

RPI does not meet the required standard for designation as a National Statistic. In recognition that it continues to be widely used in contracts, we continue to publish the RPI, its subcomponents and RPI excluding mortgage interest payments (RPIX). To view the all-items RPI and 12-month inflation rate and an at-a-glance comparison with other measures, please see the time series section of the inflation and price indices area of our website.

The consumer price indices are based on prices collected from outlets around the country, supplemented by information collected centrally over the internet and by phone.

Consumer price indices, a brief guide gives an overview of consumer price statistics.

The Consumer Price Indices Technical Manual covers the concepts and methodologies underpinning the indices in more detail.

The CPIH Compendium provides a comprehensive source of information on the Consumer Prices Index including owner occupiers’ housing costs (CPIH), with a focus on the approach to measuring owner occupiers’ housing costs (OOH).

The Consumer Price Inflation Quality and Methodology Information report contains important information on:

• the strengths and limitations of the data and how it compares with related data

• users and uses of the data

• how the output was created

• the quality of the output including the accuracy of the data

The figures in this publication use data collected on or around 11 June 2019.

We have illustrated our future approach to measuring changing prices and costs faced by consumers and households using three “use cases”, along with how they relate to the measures that we currently publish and those that are under development. Specifically, they refer to the CPIH as our lead measure of inflation based on economic principles; the Household Costs Indices as a set of measures to reflect the change in costs as experienced by households; and the Retail Prices Index (RPI) as a legacy measure that is required to meet existing user needs. Shortcomings of the Retail Prices Index as a measure of inflation, released on 8 March 2018, describes the issues with the RPI.

Consumer price inflation detailed briefing note
Article | Released 17 July 2019

Background briefing to the statistical bulletin.

Users and uses of consumer price inflation statistics
Article | Released 25 July 2018

Information about the users and uses of consumer price inflation statistics and user experiences of these statistics. Additionally, information on the characteristics of the different measures of consumer price inflation in relation to potential use.

Consumer price inflation, updating weights: 2019
Article | Released 18 March 2019

An overview of the latest annual update of the relative weights of items used in compiling the UK consumer price inflation indices.

Consumer price inflation basket of goods and services: 2019
Article | Released 11 March 2019

The review process for the items making up the inflation basket used to calculate the UK consumer price inflation indices and the changes in the latest year.

Explaining the contribution to change in the 12-month rate
Infographic | Released 2013

An explanation of how the various types of goods and services contribute to the change in the 12-month inflation rate between the latest two months. The size and direction of these contributions depends on how prices changed between both the latest two months this year and the same two months last year. For example, the price of a product could make an upward contribution to the change in the rate even if it fell, provided that it fell by less than it did between the same two months a year ago.

Producer price inflation, UK
Bulletin | Released 17 July 2019

Changes in the prices of goods bought and sold by UK manufacturers including price indices of materials and fuels purchased (input prices) and factory gate prices (output prices).

UK House Price index
Bulletin | Released 17 July 2019

Monthly house price inflation in the UK, calculated using data from HM Land Registry, Registers of Scotland and Land and Property Services Northern Ireland.

Index of Private Housing Rental Prices
Bulletin | Released 17 July 2019

An experimental price index tracking the prices paid for renting property from private landlords in the UK.

Prices economic commentary
Article | Released 17 July 2019

Presents further analysis of producer prices, house prices and rental prices in addition to the Consumer Prices Index including owner occupiers’ housing costs (CPIH).

Advisory panels for Consumer Price Statistics

Reports, papers and minutes of the two independent advisory panels on consumer price statistics: a technical panel to advise the National Statistician on technical aspects of the statistics; and a stakeholder panel to provide advice on the uses and applications of price indices.

Consumer price inflation item indices and price quotes
Dataset | Released 17 July 2019

The individual price quotes (for locally-collected items only) and item indices that underpin the consumer price statistics.

Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices
Dataset | Released 17 July 2019

The Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) provides a comparable measure of inflation for each member state of the EU. The UK HICP is identical to the UK Consumer Prices Index (CPI). Further information is available on the Eurostat website.