Examples of where inflation jumped in April – and where it eased

Steep increases in gas, electricity and water bills, along with a jump in the price of air and coach travel, helped push the UK’s overall rate of inflation in April to its highest level for 15 months.

The cost of supplying water to homes and other properties saw one of the largest rises, up 26.4% year on year last month, compared with an annual increase of 7.0% in March.

This is the biggest annual increase in water bills since at least 1988.

Sewerage collection was up 25.9% year on year in April, compared with a rise of 9.1% in March.

Gas and electricity both swung from negative annual inflation in March to positive annual inflation in April, according to figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The average price of gas supply was down 12.0% year on year in March but jumped 12.2% year on year in April.

Electricity fell 8.8% in March but rose 4.6% in April.

Air tickets fell in price by 2.9% year on year in March but jumped 16.2% year on year last month, while the cost of bus and coach travel rose faster in April (up 13.0%) than in March (8.7%).

A range of everyday groceries saw an acceleration in annual inflation last month, including margarine, soft drinks, whole milk, ready meals, bread and coffee.

Mineral and spring waters were up 5.0% year on year in April, a larger jump than the 1.9% rise in March, while fruit juices were up 8.2% compared with 5.1% in March.

Some items did see a drop in cost last month, however.

Kitchen appliances such as fridges, freezers, irons and coffee machines all saw prices fall faster year on year in April than in March.

Petrol and diesel both saw prices continuing to drop.

The average cost of petrol last month was 9.1% lower than a year earlier, a larger drop than the 5.0% fall seen in March.

Diesel also recorded a sharper decrease, down 9.8% year on year in April compared with a fall of 6.0% in March.

Meanwhile, two staple ingredients of cooking enjoyed a swing from positive annual inflation to negative annual inflation in April: potatoes (up 5.5% in March, down 1.0% in April) and olive oil (up 3.2% in March, down 1.5% in April).

Below are some examples of how the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation rate has eased or accelerated.

Two figures are listed for each item – the average rise in price in the 12 months to March, followed by the average rise in price in the 12 months to April.

– Examples where annual inflation has accelerated, ranked by the size of change:

Gas: March down 12.0%, April up 12.2%
Water supply: March up 7.0%, April up 26.4%
Passenger air travel: March down 2.9%, April up 16.2%
Sewerage collection: March up 9.1%, April up 25.9%
Electricity: March down 8.8%, April up 4.6%
Passenger bus/coach travel: March up 8.7%, April up 13.0%
Mineral/spring waters: March up 1.9%, April up 5.0%
Fruit/vegetable juices: March up 5.1%, April up 8.2%
Margarine/other vegetable fats: March up 1.9%, April up 4.2%
Whole milk: March up 0.7%, April up 3.0%
Dried fruit and nuts: March up 5.2%, April up 7.4%
Ready-made meals: March up 1.6%, April up 3.4%
Soft drinks: March up 3.0%, April up 4.6%
Bread: March up 0.6%, April up 1.8%
Coffee: March up 6.7%, April up 7.5%
Eggs: March up 4.1%, April up 4.7%

– Examples where annual inflation has eased

Refrigerators/freezers: March down 0.9%, April down 10.7%
Potatoes: March up 5.5%, April down 1.0%
Irons: March down 4.0%, April down 9.5%
Olive oil: March up 3.2%, April down 1.5%
Women’s footwear: March up 0.3%, April down 4.3%
Petrol: March down 5.0%, April down 9.1%
Cookers: March up 0.6%, April down 3.4%
Diesel: March down 6.0%, April down 9.8%
Coffee machines/tea-makers: March down 4.6%, April down 7.9%
Children’s clothes: March down 0.7%, April down 3.4%