The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has announced that the rate of inflation increased again in May, remaining at 40-year highs and deepening the squeeze felt by households across the UK. The rate of consumer prices index (CPI) inflation rose from 9% in April to 9.1% in May, the statisticians said.
The increase matches what analysts had expected and pushes the measure to its highest since early 1982, according to ONS estimates. They said the change was in large part driven by the increase in food prices, which added more than 0.2 percentage points to the inflation number.
Clothing and footwear prices helped keep a lid on inflation, while recreation and culture prices also pulled it downwards. The news will add to the difficulties faced by many people across the UK following new estimates from Cornwall Insight that energy bills look set to rise by £1,000 (51%) in October from £1,971 to £2,980.
