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.
Retail Prices Index (RPI)
An older UK measure of consumer price changes that is still used for some payments and contracts.
What it means
RPI tracks prices of goods and services using a different mix and calculation method from CPI and CPIH. It includes some housing costs, including mortgage interest payments, that those other measures leave out. The ONS has identified serious weaknesses in how RPI is calculated, so it should not be treated as interchangeable with CPI or CPIH.
Example
If an agreement says a payment rises in line with RPI, its increase could differ from what it would have been under CPI, even for the same year.
Why it matters
The chosen index can make a real difference when a bill, pension or other payment is linked to inflation.
Also known as
RPI
Related terms
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Consumer Prices Index (CPI)
A UK measure of how prices change for a wide range of things people buy.
Read more -
Consumer Prices Index including housing costs (CPIH)
A UK measure of price changes like CPI, with an added measure of the cost of living in a home you own and Council Tax.
Read more -
Inflation
A general rise in prices over time.
Read more
Keep in the loop
News
Highlights from about the UK economy, the UK government and the UK public sector.
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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
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Clear, accessible analysis of the economic issues shaping everyday life
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Comparing the cost of everyday life across generations, from bread and beer to buying a home.
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Beyond GDP: how we could measure economic success through security, opportunity and living standards.
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