UK inflation has climbed to above 10% for the second time this year as households continue to feel the squeeze from the cost of living crisis.
But in a blow for millions of struggling and vulnerable households, the Tories have still yet to confirm whether this figure will be used to decide how much the state pension and benefits will rise by.
Consumer price index (CPI) inflation hit 10.1% in the 12 months to September, latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show.
It means inflation is once again in double figures and is up from the 9.9% recorded the month before.
Inflation had reached 10.1% in the 12 months to July - so the new level for September matches this.
The last time CPI - which is used to illustrate how prices have risen over time - was this high was 40 years ago, in 1982.
ONS data shows the price of food and energy were the largest contributors for the jump in inflation.
Food and non-alcoholic beverage prices rose by 14.5% in the 12 months to September 2022.
But the price of fuel had fallen after hitting record highs earlier this year, according to the ONS.
Petrol fell by 8.7 pence per litre to 166.5p, while diesel prices fell by 5.0p to 181.6p per litre - although motoring groups say prices are rising again this month.
Households are also facing political and financial uncertainty in the wake of the disastrous Mini-Budget, which saw Kwasi Kwarteng sacked as Chancellor and replaced with Jeremy Hunt.
In a speech this week, Hunt said he was reversing almost all the measures announced in the Mini-Budget - including fast forwarding a 1p cut to Income Tax - after markets were sent into turmoil and pension funds came close to collapse.
The Chancellor said the Government "will prioritise help for the most vulnerable while delivering wider economic stability".
Rachel Reeves, Labour Shadow Chancellor, said: “Inflation figures this morning will bring more anxiety to families worried about the Tories lack of grip on an economic crisis of their own making.
“It’s clear that the damage has been done. This is a Tory crisis, made in Downing Street and paid for by working people.“
The September level of CPI inflation is normally used to decide how much the state pension and benefits will rise by the following April.
There is a triple lock promise, which guarantees the state pension rises by the highest of average earnings, CPI inflation and 2.5%.
But this was downgraded to a double lock to avoid a record 8% increase after the pandemic pushed earnings growth higher as workers returned from furlough.
Over the last few days, the Government has repeatedly refused to say whether it will definitely bring back the triple lock for next April.
If the triple lock guarantee is kept in place, this means the full state pension will rise from £185.15 to £203.85 per week next year.
The basic state pension would increase from £141.85 per week to £156.20 per week under the triple lock.
What is inflation?
Inflation is a figure used to explain how much the prices of everyday essentials have increased.
When inflation is high, it means the cost of living has increased and you’re getting less for your money than you did before.
The ONS releases inflation figures for the previous 12 months every year - so it is a retrospective look at how prices have changed,
For example, if something cost £1 a year ago and now costs £1.02 today, that rate of inflation would be 2%.
The Bank of England is trying to cool inflation by raising interest rates, which currently sit at 2.25% - but analysts say this figure could rise to around 5%.
The theory behind raising interest rates is that households will spend less and this should mean inflation will drop.
But higher interest rates mean anyone with a tracker and most standard variable rate (SVR) mortgages will see their costs go up.
The Bank of England has said inflation could peak at 11% this year.
ONS director of economic statistics Darren Morgan said: “After last month’s small fall, headline inflation returned to its high seen earlier in the summer.
“The rise was driven by further increases across food, which saw its largest annual rise in over 40 years, while hotel prices also increased after falling this time last year.
“These rises were partially offset by continuing falls in the costs of petrol, with airline prices falling by more than usual for this time of year and second-hand car prices also rising less steeply than the large increases seen last year.“
