Inflation rate at 3.5% - highest in over a year

Inflation has risen to its highest level in more than a year after “awful April” bill rises.

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Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation jumped to 3.5% in April, up from 2.6% in March and the highest since January 2024.

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 households - including the biggest increase to water bills since at least February 1988.

Households were also hit with steep increases across bills for council tax, mobile and broadband tariffs, as well as road tax.