Fuel and travel costs are pushing prices up again
Thursday 5 November 2026
Inflation has risen to 3.1%, meaning everyday spending is getting more expensive just as household budgets are already under pressure.
Key term
What it means
Count how often each value appears. The one that occurs most often is the mode. There can be more than one mode if values tie for the highest count. If every value appears equally often, there is no useful “most common” value. Unlike the mean, the mode does not tell you anything about the size of the other values.
Example
For house prices of £200,000, £250,000, £250,000 and £400,000, the mode is £250,000.
Why it matters
The mode can show the most common value, but it may be less useful for prices or incomes when almost every exact number is different.
Related terms
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News
Highlights from about the UK economy, the UK government and the UK public sector.
Mortgage relief will have to wait a little longer
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Energy bills are going up as winter approaches
Wednesday 4 November 2026
A higher energy price cap means many households will be paying more to heat and power their homes during the colder months.
Guides and insights
Analysis
Clear, accessible analysis of the economic issues shaping everyday life
Living standards
What does a day’s work buy?
Comparing the cost of everyday life across generations, from bread and beer to buying a home.
Food & prices
The journey behind your grocery bill
How farming, energy, transport and supermarket competition shape the price on the shelf.
Prices & inflation
Inflation is falling. What happens next?
What slower price rises mean for wages, purchasing power and economic recovery.
Shared prosperity
What would shared prosperity look like?
Beyond GDP: how we could measure economic success through security, opportunity and living standards.
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