UK consumer price inflation rose to 3.5% in the 12 months to September 2026, up from 3.1% in August 2026, the Office for National Statistics said on 21 October 2026. Transport, particularly motor fuels, made the largest upward contribution to the monthly change.
TL;DR · LAST REVIEWED UK consumer price inflation rose to 3.5% in the 12 months to September 2026, up from 3.1% in August 2026, the Office for National Statistics said on 21 October 2026. Transport, particularly motor fuels, made the largest upward contribution to the monthly change.
- CPI inflation was 3.5% in the 12 months to September 2026, up from 3.1% in August 2026.
- On the month, CPI rose 0.4% in September 2026, against little change in September 2025.
- CPIH was 3.6%, core CPI 2.8%, goods 3.2% and services 3.7%.
- Transport, particularly motor fuels, made the largest upward contribution; restaurants and hotels made the largest partially offsetting downward contribution.
KEY FACTS
- CPI, 12 months to Sep 2026: 3.5% (August: 3.1%)
- CPIH: 3.6% (August: 3.3%)
- Core CPI: 2.8% (August: 2.6%)
- Goods / services: 3.2% / 3.7%
- Biggest upward driver: Transport, particularly motor fuels
- Next release: 18 November 2026
The headline figures
The Consumer Prices Index rose by 3.5% in the 12 months to September 2026, the Office for National Statistics said on 21 October 2026. That annual rate compares with 3.1% in August 2026, according to the same release.
On a monthly basis, CPI rose by 0.4% in September 2026. The ONS said this compares with little change in September 2025, so the month on month movement was larger than a year earlier.
CPIH, the measure that includes owner occupiers' housing costs, rose by 3.6% in the 12 months to September 2026. The ONS put the August 2026 CPIH rate at 3.3%.
CPI measures the change in prices of a basket of goods and services bought by households. CPIH adds owner occupiers' housing costs and council tax to that basket.
What pushed prices up
Transport, particularly motor fuels, made the largest upward contribution to the monthly change in the CPI, the ONS said. The contribution is measured against the movement in prices a year earlier.
Restaurants and hotels made the largest partially offsetting downward contribution to the monthly change. That offset reduced, but did not cancel, the upward pressure recorded elsewhere in the basket.
The ONS identifies contributions by comparing the price movement of each division of the basket with its movement in the same month a year earlier. The transport contribution was therefore driven by motor fuels moving differently in September 2026 than in September 2025.
The monthly CPI movement of 0.4% in September 2026 compares with little change in September 2025. The ONS said the September 2025 comparison point was little change.
Core, goods and services inflation
Core CPI rose by 2.8% in the 12 months to September 2026, up from 2.6% in August 2026. Core CPI excludes energy, food, alcohol and tobacco from the basket.
CPI goods inflation rose from 2.7% to 3.2% over the same period. Goods are the physical items in the basket, such as food, clothing and motor fuels.
CPI services inflation rose from 3.4% to 3.7%. Services cover work carried out for households, including restaurant meals, hotel stays and transport services.
The ONS publishes core, goods and services measures alongside the headline CPI rate. Each is calculated from the same basket of goods and services bought by households.
Housing costs released the same day
The ONS also reported on 21 October 2026 that average UK private rents were £1,406 a month in September 2026. That figure was up 3.8% on a year earlier and is provisional.
The average UK house price was £273,000 in August 2026, up 0.9% on a year earlier, the ONS said. That figure is also provisional.
The rent and house price figures were published on the same day as the September 2026 CPI release. They cover different periods, with rents for September 2026 and house prices for August 2026.
Owner occupiers' housing costs are included in CPIH but not in CPI. CPIH rose by 3.6% in the 12 months to September 2026, up from 3.3% in August 2026.
What happens next
The next CPI figures, for October 2026, are due on 18 November 2026, according to the ONS. That release will set out the annual and monthly rates for October 2026.
The September 2026 release set the annual CPI rate at 3.5%, the monthly rate at 0.4%, CPIH at 3.6%, core CPI at 2.8%, goods inflation at 3.2% and services inflation at 3.7%.
The ONS said transport, particularly motor fuels, made the largest upward contribution to the monthly change, while restaurants and hotels made the largest partially offsetting downward contribution.
The rent and house price figures published on 21 October 2026 were provisional. The ONS said average UK private rents were £1,406 a month in September 2026, up 3.8% on a year earlier, and the average UK house price was £273,000 in August 2026, up 0.9% on a year earlier.
Source: ONS: Consumer price inflation, UK: September 2026.
Related coverage on Kael Tripton: UK inflation rises to 3.1 percent as fuel and airfares climb, What Is Inflation?, CPI vs RPI: why the UK has two inflation numbers, UK Inflation Explained: How CPI Is Measured and What It Means for Your Money, Fed raises US rates: what it means for UK mortgages and savings.
For press offices Kael Tripton reports releases from UK public bodies, operators, regulators and consumer brands, with your images credited and a link to your newsroom. News coverage is an editorial decision and is never paid for. Organisations can separately publish a release in full under their own name, clearly labelled as sponsored. |
RELATED GUIDES
DISCLAIMER
Figures are as published by the ONS on 21 October 2026. Rent and house price figures are provisional and may be revised.
Frequently asked questions
What was the CPI inflation rate in September 2026?
The Consumer Prices Index rose by 3.5% in the 12 months to September 2026, up from 3.1% in August 2026, the Office for National Statistics said.
What drove the change in September 2026?
Transport, particularly motor fuels, made the largest upward contribution to the monthly change. Restaurants and hotels made the largest partially offsetting downward contribution.
What were core, goods and services inflation?
Core CPI rose by 2.8%, CPI goods inflation rose from 2.7% to 3.2% and CPI services inflation rose from 3.4% to 3.7%, the ONS said.
What did the ONS report on rents and house prices?
Average UK private rents were £1,406 a month in September 2026, up 3.8% on a year earlier (provisional). The average UK house price was £273,000 in August 2026, up 0.9% on a year earlier (provisional).
When are the next CPI figures published?
The next CPI figures, for October 2026, are due on 18 November 2026.
SOURCES
- Office for National Statistics: Consumer price inflation, UK: September 2026 (21 October 2026) - accessed 21 October 2026
- Office for National Statistics: Private rent and house prices, UK: October 2026 (21 October 2026) - accessed 21 October 2026
