CPI inflation rate in the UK 2025, by sector

In April 2025, the UK inflation rate was 3.5 percent, with prices rising fastest in the housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels sector, which had an inflation rate of 7.8 percent. In this month, prices were rising in all sectors, except for in the clothing and footwear, and furniture sectors. 

UK inflation falls in 2024

After reaching a peak of 11.1 percent in October 2022, the CPI inflation rate in the UK gradually declined over several months, falling to a low of 1.7 percent by August 2024. An uptick in inflation has occurred since that month, however, and by the end of the year inflation was at 2.5 percent above the Bank of England's target rate of 2 percent. Going into 2025, recent forecasts suggest that over the course of the year, inflation will average out at 2.6 percent, with the 2 percent target not met on an annual basis until at least 2029.

Roots of the inflation crisis 

This long period of high inflation that the UK and much of the world experienced had its roots in the post-pandemic economic recovery of 2021. During that year, as consumer demand returned, global supply chains struggled to return to full capacity, resulting in prices rising. With inflation already elevated going into 2022, Russia's invasion of Ukraine added even more inflationary pressures to the global economy. European markets which were heavily reliant on Russian oil and gas gradually phased out hydrocarbons from their economies. Food prices were also heavily impacted due to Ukraine's difficulty in exporting its agricultural products.