The Latest Breaking News from Office for National Statistics

New figures show ‘cost-of-living crisis is already beginning to bite’, union leader says

Experts have warned that the pressure on household finances will intensify due to the Ukraine conflict, with eye-watering gas and fuel prices set to see inflation rise from 5.5% currently to nearly 9% or more in April

Those on a payroll system rose by 275,000 between January and February to 29.7 million, the Office for National Statistics said - but wage growth is still failing to keep up with inflation

The ONS said the changes show 'the impact of the pandemic still evident in our shopping habits'

Three in five over-50s have left the workforce sooner than planned since the pandemic started, with many taking early retirement

Peace talks between Russia and Ukraine offer a glimmer of hope as this war approaches its third week. Representatives from both sides suggest that negotiations, which remain ongoing, may yield progress. Ukrainians fleeing for their lives, and ordinary Russians seeing their economy suffocate under crippling sanctions, must hope so.

Doughnuts have been thrown out and meat-free sausages added to the official basket of goods used to calculate the rate of inflation, in a reflection of increasingly health-conscious British lifestyles.

The ONS said it would remove men’s suits from its basket of goods to calculate inflation as more people work from home.

Sajid Javid said the rise was ‘expected’ given the increase in social mixing