17th June 2026
CPIH: 3.0% (unchanged from April)
CPI: 2.8% (unchanged from April)
Monthly inflation for both measures: 0.2%
What’s driving inflation now
Transport was the biggest upward force — annual inflation jumped to 6.8%, the highest since 2022.
Air fares surged 10.3% month‑on‑month.
Motor fuel prices climbed again, with petrol averaging 157.4p/litre, the highest since late 2022.
Food and non‑alcoholic beverages eased to 2.2%, the lowest since 2024, with prices actually falling 0.1% on the month.
Housing & household services inflation slowed to 2.7%, driven by weaker owner‑occupier housing costs and a sharp drop in domestic heating oil prices.
Core inflation
Core CPIH: 2.8% (unchanged)
Core CPI: 2.6% (up from 2.5%)
Goods inflation cooled, but services inflation rose, reflecting persistent domestic cost pressures.
Big picture
Inflation is no longer falling — it’s plateauing. The composition is shifting:
Energy and food pressures are fading,
Transport and services are heating up,
Housing‑related inflation is easing but still the largest contributor to CPIH.
Main points
The Consumer Prices Index including owner occupiers' housing costs (CPIH) rose by 3.0% in the 12 months to May 2026, unchanged from the 12 months to April.
On a monthly basis, CPIH rose by 0.2% in May 2026, the same rate as in May 2025.
The Consumer Prices Index (CPI) rose by 2.8% in the 12 months to May 2026, unchanged from the 12 months to April.
On a monthly basis, CPI rose by 0.2% in May 2026, the same rate as in May 2025.
Transport made the largest upward contribution to the monthly change in both CPIH and CPI annual rates; food and non-alcoholic beverages made the largest, partially offsetting, downward contribution.
Core CPIH (CPIH excluding energy, food, alcohol and tobacco) rose by 2.8% in the 12 months to May 2026, unchanged from the 12 months to April; the CPIH goods annual rate slowed from 2.4% to 2.0%, while the CPIH services annual rate rose from 3.4% to 3.6%.
Core CPI (CPI excluding energy, food, alcohol and tobacco) rose by 2.6% in the 12 months to May 2026, up from 2.5% in the 12 months to April; the CPI goods annual rate slowed from 2.4% to 2.0%, while the CPI services annual rate rose from 3.2% to 3.7%.
Read the ONS inflation report HERE