Inflation soars following 'Awful April' bill increases
It surged to 3.5% last month, the highest level in more than a year
UK inflation surged to its highest level for more than a year last month after households were hit by a raft of "awful April" bill increases, official figures have revealed.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation hit 3.5% in April, up from 2.6% in March and the highest since January 2024.
Economists had been expecting a rise to 3.3% last month.
It comes after Ofgem's energy price cap rose by 6.4% in April, having fallen a year earlier, alongside a raft of bill rises for under-pressure households, including steep increases to water charges, council tax, mobile and broadband tariffs.
ONS acting director-general Grant Fitzner said: "Significant increases in household bills caused inflation to climb steeply.
"Gas and electricity bills rose this month compared with sharp falls at the same time last year due to changes to the Ofgem energy price cap.
"Water and sewerage bills also rose strongly this year, as did vehicle excise duty, which all pushed the headline rate up to its highest level since the beginning of last year."
Chancellor reacts to the rise
Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: "I am disappointed with these figures because I know cost of living pressures are still weighing down on working people.
"We are a long way from the double-digit inflation we saw under the previous administration, but I'm determined that we go further and faster to put more money in people's pockets.
"That's why we have increased the minimum wage for millions of working people, frozen fuel duty to protect commuters and struck three trade deals in the past two weeks that will go towards cutting bills."
Tories blame Labour for the hike
Shadow chancellor Sir Mel Stride blamed Rachel Reeves for the hike in inflation.
He said: "This morning's news that inflation is up - and now well above the 2% target - is worrying for families.
"We left Labour with inflation bang on target, but Labour's economic mismanagement is pushing up the cost of living for families - on top of the £3,500 hit to households from the Chancellor's damaging jobs tax.
"Higher inflation could also mean interest rates stay higher for longer, hitting family finances hard.
"Families are paying the price for the Labour Chancellor's choices."