Falls last month in the cost of energy and air travel – along with an easing of inflation across a range of everyday groceries including chocolate, coffee and rice – helped pull down the UK’s overall rate to its lowest level since spring 2025.
Electricity bills in April were on average 6.0% lower than a year ago.
This is a sharp turnaround from March, when they were up year on year by 5.6%.
Gas bills were already down 2.8% on the year in March, but in April they recorded an even larger drop, averaging 13.5% below where they stood 12 months ago, according to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The falls are a result of Ofgem lowering its energy price cap from the start of April by 7%, or £10 a month, for the average household using both electricity and gas, in response to measures announced by the Government to cut the cost of bills.
A steep drop in air fares also helped ease the overall rate of inflation.
The average cost of air travel was down 13.2% year on year in April, following a jump of 14.5% in March, reflecting the early timing of this year’s Easter holidays.
A wide range of groceries recorded an smaller annual increase in price last month than in March, including chocolate, mineral water, ready meals, coffee, meat, tea, rice and bread.
The same was true for the cost of tickets to cinemas, theatres, concerts and museums, while train fares swung from a positive rate of inflation in March of 1.9% to a fall of 0.2% in April.
There were also smaller rises in water and sewerage bills than a year ago.
All of these factors were more than enough to offset the upwards pressures on inflation last month, led by a sharp rise in the cost of fuel.
The average price of petrol in April was 16.6% higher than 12 months ago, compared with a much smaller year on year on increase of 2.0% in March.
Diesel saw an even bigger jump, from an annual inflation rate of 9.6% in March to 34.1% in April.
The steep increases reflect the ongoing impact of the Iran war, which began at the end of February and prompted a spike in the price of crude oil during March, in turn boosting the cost of filling up at the pumps.
Inflation also picked up pace in April for a handful of everyday groceries, including pasta, fish, potatoes and breakfast cereals.
The average cost of staying in hotels and similar accommodation was 3.8% higher in April than 12 months earlier, compared with a year on year rise of just 0.8% in March.
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 eased, ranked by the size of change:
Passenger air travel: March up 14.5%, April down 13.2%Water supply: March up 26.4%, April up 9.0%Electricity: March up 5.6%, April down 6.0%Gas: March down 2.8%, April down 13.5%Margarine: March up 3.1%, April down 1.4%Chocolate: March up 10.9%, April up 7.8%Mineral or spring waters: March up 9.4%, April up 6.3%Ready-made meals: March up 6.7%, April up 3.9%Coffee: March up 9.0%, April up 6.3%Cinemas, theatres, concerts: March up 7.4%, April up 5.2%Meat: March up 5.8%, April up 3.6%Tea: March up 6.7%, April up 4.6%Bread: March up 3.3%, April up 2.0%
– Examples where annual inflation has accelerated
Diesel: March up 9.6%, April up 34.1%Petrol: March up 2.0%, April up 16.6%Hotels/other accommodation: March up 0.8%, April up 3.8%Sauces, spices & culinary herbs: March up 2.6%, April up 4.9%Pasta & couscous: March up 4.4%, April up 6.1%Men’s clothes: March up 0.2%, April up 1.6%Fish: March up 4.5%, April up 5.7%Crisps: March up 0.3%, April up 1.5%Women’s clothes: March up 0.9%, April up 2.0%Potatoes: March up 0.5%, April up 1.5%
