About the data
The Price of Things uses published UK statistical series to show how household costs, prices, rents, earnings and related measures have changed over time.
The figures shown on this site are based on observations published by the original data providers. We do not estimate historical values where a published observation is unavailable.
The site is a presentation and calculation layer over published source data. It does not produce statistics of its own.
Section one
Every series held in the database belongs to one of the following published datasets.
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
Update frequency
Annual
Latest release
30 June 2026
Retrieved
17 August 2026
Licence
Official UK Government statistics
Series from this source
HM Land Registry
Update frequency
Monthly
Latest release
22 July 2026
Retrieved
17 August 2026
Licence
Official UK Government statistics
Series from this source
Office for National Statistics
Update frequency
Monthly
Latest release
22 July 2026
Retrieved
17 August 2026
Licence
Official ONS statistics
Series from this source
Office for National Statistics
Update frequency
Monthly
Latest release
21 July 2026
Retrieved
17 August 2026
Licence
Official ONS statistics
Series from this source
Office for National Statistics
Update frequency
Monthly
Latest release
22 July 2026
Retrieved
17 August 2026
Licence
Official ONS statistics
Series from this source
Section two
13 series are currently held, each shown with its published coverage.
| Series | Category | Source ID | Frequency | Unit | Geography | First period | Latest period |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food | Everyday spending | L52H | Monthly | Index | UK | January 1988 | May 2026 |
| House price index | Housing | K02000001 | Monthly | Index | UK | April 1968 | May 2026 |
| House prices | Housing | K02000001 | Monthly | £ | UK | April 1968 | May 2026 |
| Private rent | Housing | K02000001 | Monthly | £ / month | UK | January 2015 | June 2026 |
| Private rent index | Housing | K02000001 | Monthly | Index | UK | January 2015 | June 2026 |
| Average earnings | Income | KAB9 | Monthly | £ / week | UK | January 2000 | May 2026 |
| General inflationGeneral inflation benchmark | Overall | L522 | Monthly | Index | UK | January 1988 | May 2026 |
| Motor fuel | Transport | L549 | Monthly | Index | UK | January 1988 | May 2026 |
| Electricity | Utilities | L53E | Monthly | Index | UK | January 1988 | May 2026 |
| Energy bills — electricity | Utilities | QEP_2_2_1 | Annual | £ / year | UK | January 2014 | January 2025 |
| Energy bills — gas | Utilities | QEP_2_3_1 | Annual | £ / year | GB | January 2014 | January 2025 |
| Gas | Utilities | L53F | Monthly | Index | UK | January 1988 | May 2026 |
| Water | Utilities | L53A | Monthly | Index | UK | January 1988 | May 2026 |
Section three
For an index series, an equivalent amount is the starting amount scaled by the movement in the index between the two published observations:
Equivalent amount = Starting amount × (Ending index ÷ Starting index)
Using the published CPIH observations currently held: CPIH 1988 JAN = 46.9, CPIH 2026 MAY = 142.1. Therefore £100.00 × (142.1 ÷ 46.9) = £302.99.
£302.99 represents the change in the level of the CPIH index between those two observations. It is not a prediction, and it is not an estimate of the actual price of a particular product.
Section four
CPIH is a broad consumer price index. Within The Price of Things it is used as the general benchmark for changes in consumer prices and purchasing power (CPIH_L522, monthly observations from January 1988 to May 2026).
Individual household costs such as electricity, gas, food and motor fuel can move very differently from the general benchmark. Where the question is about one of those costs specifically, the relevant series should be used rather than the general benchmark.
No other series on the site is treated as a measure of general inflation.
The Price of Things uses published observations from the underlying source series. Where a selected comparison requires a common period, only periods for which the required series contain published observations are used. Missing observations are not silently estimated or substituted.
Section five
The datasets do not all begin at the same time, and no measure on this site should be assumed to have a continuous history back to 1988. The first and last published observation for each series is listed in the catalogue above.
Section six
The database holds observations at their published frequency. Where monthly observations are available, the site’s monthly charts and calculations use those monthly observations.
Annual observations are not converted into monthly observations, monthly observations are not converted into annual ones, and no values are interpolated between published observations.
Section seven
Source data
The actual observations published by the underlying statistical source.
Our calculations
Equivalent amounts, percentage changes and rebased comparison values calculated by The Price of Things from those observations.
The underlying observations come from the published source series. Calculations such as equivalent amounts, percentage changes and rebased comparison values are performed by The Price of Things using those observations.
Section eight
The figures shown reflect the latest observations currently held in the site database. Where the source records a release date and a retrieval date, they are shown below.
Section nine
Section ten