Wages and prices › United Kingdom
United Kingdom: a wage buys 6.2% more than in 2019
Prices are 32.5% higher than in August 2019. Average weekly earnings rose 40.3% between the second quarter of 2019 and the second quarter of 2026, while prices rose 32.0% over the same quarters. Wages have more than caught up.
How much have prices risen since 2019?
Prices in United Kingdom are 32.5% higher than in August 2019. What cost £100 then costs £132.47 now.
Price rise since August 2019, by what people buy. The red mark is all items, +32.5%.
- Housing and energy+43.6%
- Alcohol and tobacco+40.0%
- Restaurants and hotels+39.9%
- Food and soft drinks+39.4%
- Phone and post+36.0%
- Education+33.5%
- Health+30.7%
- Transport+29.1%
- Leisure and culture+27.8%
- Personal care and other+22.3%
- Furniture and household goods+20.9%
- Clothing and shoes+17.4%
Have wages kept up?
Average weekly earnings rose 40.3% between the second quarter of 2019 and the second quarter of 2026. Prices rose 32.0% over the same quarters, so a wage buys 6.2% more than in 2019.
How does United Kingdom compare with its neighbours?
- European UnionPrices +30.0%, wages +30.0%, a wage buys +0.1%
- United KingdomPrices +32.0%, wages +40.3%, a wage buys +6.2%
- United StatesPrices +30.5%, wages +34.5%, a wage buys +3.0%
- FrancePrices +21.4%, wages +19.4%, a wage buys −1.7%
- IrelandPrices +23.4%, wages +32.7%, a wage buys +7.6%
Work out your own inflation
Your prices depend on what you buy. Put in what you spend each month and see your own rate beside the official one: your inflation in United Kingdom.
Sources and method
Prices: ONS, CPI index (D7BT), August 2026 against August 2019. Wages: ONS, average weekly earnings (KAB9), average weekly earnings, whole economy, total pay, seasonally adjusted, the second quarter of 2026 against the second quarter of 2019. For the comparison, prices are the average of the same months. The figures are as published on 6 October 2026.