United Kingdom Inflation Rate (CPI YoY %) - Historical Data
Year-on-year percentage change in the headline Consumer Price Index (CPI) for United Kingdom from 1914 to 2026, compiled from the BIS Long Consumer Prices archive (WS_LONG_CPI). The latest inflation rate is 3.09% (Aug 2026) compared with the Bank of England official target of 2.0% (CPI 12-Month).
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Current Statistics & Historical Records
Latest Reading (Aug 2026)
3.09%
Prev (Jul 2026): 2.81%+0.28 pp
Highest Recorded (Oct 1918)
36.27%
Peak consumer price inflation rate in United Kingdom (Bank of England mandate: 2.0% (CPI 12-Month)).
Lowest Recorded (Dec 1921)
-26.66%
Lowest recorded CPI inflation / deflation reading in United Kingdom.
Long-Run Mean (1914–2026)
4.47%
113 annual observations · Monthly
Bank of England · GBP
United Kingdom Inflation Rate (CPI YoY %) (1914-2026)
% YoYDrag to pan, scroll to zoom, or toggle between full archive (1914–2026) and recent monthly observations.
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Source: Bank for International Settlements (BIS) & National Statistical Office (WS_LONG_CPI:M:GB:771)
Latest: 3.09% (Aug 2026)
United Kingdom Inflation Rate Averages by Decade
Decadal mean, peak, and trough across the 1914–2026 archive
| Decade | Years Covered | Decade Mean | Decade High (Year) | Decade Low (Year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 1914–1919 | 15.25% | 25.56% (1917) | 2.55% (1914) |
| 1920s | 1920–1929 | -1.64% | 15.39% (1920) | -13.62% (1922) |
| 1930s | 1930–1939 | -0.25% | 3.39% (1937) | -4.28% (1931) |
| 1940s | 1940–1949 | 6.45% | 16.91% (1940) | 2.71% (1944) |
| 1950s | 1950–1959 | 4.73% | 10.74% (1952) | 0.61% (1959) |
| 1960s | 1960–1969 | 3.33% | 5.20% (1969) | 0.80% (1960) |
| 1970s | 1970–1979 | 12.04% | 22.62% (1975) | 6.51% (1970) |
| 1980s | 1980–1989 | 6.49% | 15.23% (1980) | 3.21% (1987) |
| 1990s | 1990–1999 | 3.31% | 7.54% (1991) | 1.35% (1999) |
| 2000s | 2000–2009 | 1.85% | 3.59% (2008) | 0.80% (2000) |
| 2010s | 2010–2019 | 2.22% | 4.46% (2011) | 0.05% (2015) |
| 2020s | 2020–2026 | 4.10% | 9.03% (2022) | 0.89% (2020) |
Complete Annual Historical Ledger (1914–2026)
Unit: % YoY · Source: Bank for International Settlements (BIS) & National Statistical Office (WS_LONG_CPI:M:GB:771)
| Year | Annual Value (% YoY) | Intra-Year Range (Min – Max) | Monetary Regime & Historical Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2.94% | 2.59% – 3.30% | - |
| 2025 | 3.37% | 2.63% – 3.89% | Post-tightening monetary recalibration across advanced and emerging central banks |
| 2024 | 2.55% | 1.67% – 4.03% | G10 policy rates peak and pivot toward gradual monetary normalization |
| 2023 | 7.37% | 3.93% – 10.45% | - |
| 2022 | 9.03% | 5.41% – 11.09% | Global inflation surge triggers fastest synchronized rate hiking cycle in four decades |
| 2021 | 2.58% | 0.46% – 5.40% | - |
| 2020 | 0.89% | 0.18% – 1.79% | COVID-19 pandemic emergency rate cuts and record balance sheet expansion |
| 2019 | 1.78% | 1.31% – 2.09% | - |
| 2018 | 2.48% | 2.10% – 2.96% | - |
| 2017 | 2.69% | 1.91% – 3.16% | - |
| 2016 | 0.64% | 0.20% – 1.60% | Bank of Japan introduces Yield Curve Control (YCC); post-Brexit BoE easing |
| 2015 | 0.05% | -0.20% – 0.30% | - |
| 2014 | 1.47% | 0.50% – 1.96% | ECB and European peers introduce Negative Interest Rate Policy (NIRP) |
| 2013 | 2.57% | 2.05% – 2.93% | - |
| 2012 | 2.80% | 2.22% – 3.61% | - |
| 2011 | 4.46% | 3.95% – 5.12% | European Sovereign Debt Crisis and Swiss franc safe-haven surge |
| 2010 | 3.30% | 3.00% – 3.72% | - |
| 2009 | 2.19% | 1.16% – 3.13% | - |
| 2008 | 3.59% | 2.23% – 5.13% | Global Financial Crisis drives major central banks to the zero lower bound and QE1 |
| 2007 | 2.32% | 1.74% – 3.17% | - |
| 2006 | 2.35% | 1.81% – 3.04% | - |
| 2005 | 2.04% | 1.58% – 2.48% | - |
| 2004 | 1.34% | 1.05% – 1.59% | - |
| 2003 | 1.38% | 1.07% – 1.63% | - |
| 2002 | 1.24% | 0.67% – 1.62% | - |
| 2001 | 1.24% | 0.69% – 1.93% | Dot-com bust and synchronized G10 monetary easing cycle |
| 2000 | 0.80% | 0.55% – 1.11% | - |
| 1999 | 1.35% | 1.11% – 1.70% | Launch of the Euro and establishment of the European Central Bank (ECB) |
| 1998 | 1.56% | 1.27% – 2.00% | - |
| 1997 | 1.82% | 1.60% – 2.06% | Asian Financial Crisis triggers emergency EM currency defense hikes |
| 1996 | 2.43% | 2.21% – 2.73% | - |
| 1995 | 2.61% | 2.29% – 3.03% | - |
| 1994 | 1.99% | 1.54% – 2.71% | Global bond market selloff and pre-emptive Federal Reserve tightening cycle |
| 1993 | 2.55% | 2.28% – 3.02% | - |
| 1992 | 4.27% | 2.60% – 7.08% | European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM) crisis and Black Wednesday |
| 1991 | 7.54% | 6.79% – 8.51% | - |
| 1990 | 6.94% | 5.51% – 8.16% | German reunification tightening and Japanese asset bubble peak |
| 1989 | 5.25% | 4.94% – 5.57% | - |
| 1988 | 3.75% | 2.80% – 4.42% | - |
| 1987 | 3.21% | 2.68% – 3.60% | Louvre Accord and Black Monday central bank liquidity provision |
| 1986 | 3.33% | 2.95% – 4.30% | - |
| 1985 | 4.92% | 4.48% – 5.32% | Plaza Accord coordinated G5 currency intervention depreciates USD |
| 1984 | 4.26% | 3.77% – 4.78% | - |
| 1983 | 4.95% | 3.98% – 6.42% | - |
| 1982 | 8.16% | 6.44% – 11.29% | - |
| 1981 | 11.82% | 11.22% – 12.88% | Volcker disinflation peak pushes benchmark policy rates to postwar highs |
| 1980 | 15.23% | 12.79% – 18.55% | - |
| 1979 | 11.32% | 7.94% – 15.02% | Second oil shock; Paul Volcker appointed Federal Reserve Chair |
| 1978 | 7.49% | 6.60% – 9.06% | - |
| 1977 | 14.99% | 11.51% – 16.99% | - |
| 1976 | 15.84% | 12.12% – 21.78% | - |
| 1975 | 22.62% | 18.50% – 25.27% | - |
| 1974 | 15.68% | 12.58% – 17.86% | First OPEC oil shock triggers global stagflation and steep policy rate hikes |
| 1973 | 9.32% | 7.75% – 11.26% | - |
| 1972 | 7.20% | 5.84% – 8.46% | - |
| 1971 | 9.41% | 8.33% – 10.48% | Nixon Shock suspends USD gold convertibility; Bretton Woods system ends |
| 1970 | 6.51% | 5.22% – 7.76% | - |
| 1969 | 5.20% | 4.50% – 5.56% | - |
| 1968 | 4.00% | 1.89% – 4.72% | - |
| 1967 | 2.25% | 0.94% – 3.92% | - |
| 1966 | 4.00% | 3.00% – 4.95% | Credit crunch of 1966 and monetary tightening |
| 1965 | 4.26% | 4.08% – 5.26% | - |
| 1964 | 3.23% | 1.08% – 5.43% | - |
| 1963 | 2.12% | 1.09% – 4.49% | - |
| 1962 | 4.21% | 2.22% – 5.81% | - |
| 1961 | 3.25% | 2.35% – 4.76% | - |
| 1960 | 0.80% | -1.18% – 2.41% | - |
| 1959 | 0.61% | -1.19% – 2.44% | - |
| 1958 | 2.89% | 1.20% – 5.00% | Eisenhower recession and global monetary easing |
| 1957 | 3.85% | 1.27% – 5.26% | - |
| 1956 | 5.20% | 2.60% – 8.22% | - |
| 1955 | 5.07% | 2.78% – 6.94% | - |
| 1954 | 2.29% | 0.00% – 4.35% | Post-Korean War Federal Reserve policy rate normalization |
| 1953 | 3.65% | 1.47% – 6.15% | - |
| 1952 | 10.74% | 7.94% – 14.04% | - |
| 1951 | 9.03% | 3.64% – 12.73% | - |
| 1950 | 3.94% | 1.82% – 5.77% | - |
| 1949 | 2.79% | 0.22% – 5.41% | - |
| 1948 | 7.75% | 4.55% – 10.11% | - |
| 1947 | 6.99% | 5.82% – 8.67% | - |
| 1946 | 3.09% | 1.71% – 5.50% | - |
| 1945 | 2.79% | 1.81% – 4.42% | - |
| 1944 | 2.71% | 1.98% – 3.88% | - |
| 1943 | 3.42% | 2.09% – 5.13% | - |
| 1942 | 7.10% | 5.45% – 8.55% | - |
| 1941 | 10.90% | 7.24% – 14.74% | - |
| 1940 | 16.91% | 13.10% – 22.86% | - |
| 1939 | 2.83% | -3.19% – 13.76% | - |
| 1938 | 1.65% | -3.14% – 5.71% | - |
| 1937 | 3.39% | 0.19% – 5.54% | - |
| 1936 | 0.72% | -0.98% – 2.64% | - |
| 1935 | 0.70% | -0.82% – 1.96% | - |
| 1934 | 0.00% | -0.64% – 1.28% | - |
| 1933 | -2.08% | -4.76% – 1.15% | - |
| 1932 | -2.61% | -3.67% – -0.72% | - |
| 1931 | -4.28% | -5.91% – -2.18% | - |
| 1930 | -2.78% | -7.33% – 1.63% | - |
| 1929 | -0.88% | -3.91% – 2.09% | - |
| 1928 | -0.30% | -4.40% – 2.62% | - |
| 1927 | -2.34% | -6.53% – 1.14% | - |
| 1926 | -0.80% | -4.30% – 4.41% | - |
| 1925 | 0.34% | -2.06% – 2.32% | - |
| 1924 | -0.70% | -2.68% – 2.96% | - |
| 1923 | -5.96% | -12.15% – -2.15% | - |
| 1922 | -13.62% | -23.23% – -4.22% | - |
| 1921 | -7.54% | -26.66% – 15.07% | - |
| 1920 | 15.39% | 0.44% – 27.00% | - |
| 1919 | 10.99% | -3.22% – 30.93% | - |
| 1918 | 21.82% | 14.14% – 36.27% | - |
| 1917 | 25.56% | 13.55% – 32.31% | - |
| 1916 | 18.08% | 13.83% – 26.44% | - |
| 1915 | 12.50% | 12.50% – 12.50% | - |
| 1914 | 2.55% | 2.55% – 2.55% | - |
Frequently Asked Questions - United Kingdom Inflation Rate
What is the current inflation rate in United Kingdom?
As of Aug 2026, headline consumer price inflation in United Kingdom is 3.09% year-on-year, compared to the Bank of England target of 2.0% (CPI 12-Month).
What was the highest inflation rate recorded in United Kingdom?
In the 1914-2026 series, United Kingdom CPI inflation peaked at 36.27% in Oct 1918 and reached a low of -26.66% in Dec 1921.
Statistical Provenance
Source Metadata & Methodology Notes
- Primary Institution:
- Bank for International Settlements (BIS) & National Statistical Office
- Dataset / Dataflow:
- BIS Long Series on Consumer Prices (WS_LONG_CPI)
- Canonical Series ID:
- WS_LONG_CPI:M:GB:771
- Reuse & License:
- Terms of permitted use of BIS statistics
- Unit of measure: Year-on-year percentage change in headline consumer price index (UNIT_MEASURE=771).
- Central bank benchmark target: 2.0% (CPI 12-Month) (Bank of England).
- Annual table values represent annual average inflation across each calendar year.
Academic & Media Attribution
Cite This Dataset (APA & BibTeX)
APA 7th Edition
CentralBankData.com. (2026). United Kingdom Inflation Rate (CPI YoY %), compiled from Bank for International Settlements (WS_LONG_CPI:M:GB:771). https://centralbankdata.com/uk-inflation-rate
BibTeX
@misc{cbd_cpi_uk,
author = {CentralBankData.com},
title = {United Kingdom Consumer Price Inflation Rate},
note = {Compiled from Bank for International Settlements WS_LONG_CPI:M:GB:771},
year = {2026},
url = {https://centralbankdata.com/uk-inflation-rate}
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