UK inflation: Consumer Prices Index release dates

UK inflation hit 3.8% in July, up from 3.6% in June. It means inflation is rising at almost double the Bank of England’s target rate of 2%.

Further increases are expected over the next two months, with inflation forecast to peak at 4% in September. The next two reports, covering August and September, will be published on 17 September and 22 October respectively.

“The good news is that inflation is expected to ease after September, perhaps with a few blips along the way, though how quickly that will translate into lower borrowing costs remains uncertain,” said Alice Haine, personal finance analyst at investment platform Bestinvest.

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After peaking in September, the Bank of England thinks inflation will gradually return to target by the second quarter of 2027.

Economists are currently divided on whether we will see further interest rate cuts this year. Some are expecting one more, while others think policymakers will hold off until 2026 given the persistence of inflation.

We share a list of all future CPI report dates in 2025, before delving into the inflation outlook.

Next UK inflation figures 

In the UK, the main measure of inflation is the Consumer Prices Index (CPI). The Office for National Statistics (ONS) releases this once a month. Each reading covers the previous month.

Release dates for 2025

• 17 September (covering August)
• 22 October (covering September)
• 19 November (covering October)
• 17 December (covering November)
• 21 January 2026 (covering December)

What time is CPI released in the UK? 

The ONS releases the latest CPI data at 7.00am once a month. You can access the data by going onto the ONS website and clicking on its release calendar. All published and upcoming releases are listed there. The report will be titled, “Consumer price inflation, UK”, followed by the month and year in question.

MoneyWeek regularly reports on the latest inflation data and what it means for you.

What is CPI and how is it calculated? 

As introduced previously, CPI is the main measure of inflation used in the UK. It tells you how fast the cost of living is increasing (or decreasing).

It is calculated using a typical basket of household goods and services – from eggs, flour and milk to hotel costs, restaurants and air fryers – and tracking how their prices change.

The CPI basket of goods is readjusted once a year to reflect current trends in consumption. For example, VR headsets and yoga mats were added to the basket in 2025, while oven-ready gammon joints and DVD rentals were removed.

The Bank of England keeps a close eye on CPI when setting interest rates. If inflation is too high, the Bank raises interest rates to slow consumer spending and cool the economy.

This works in bringing prices down because households have less money to spend when mortgage rates are high and debts are more expensive to repay.

Meanwhile, if inflation is too low, the Bank may reduce interest rates so consumers have more disposable income to spend. Due to the laws of supply and demand, this pushes prices back up.

Where is inflation heading next?

No forecasters are currently expecting inflation to return to the levels seen in 2022, when it peaked at more than 11%. That said, it is likely to remain stubbornly above target throughout 2025 and 2026.

The Bank of England thinks inflation will hit 4% in September before gradually slowing after that. Policymakers believe it will average 3.1% in the first quarter of 2026, 3% in the second, 2.7% in the third and 2.5% in the fourth.

One concern is that higher inflation could start to influence things like wage bargaining behaviour, thereby becoming more embedded in the economy. This is something the Monetary Policy Committee noted at its most recent meeting in August.

Some research suggests inflation can become more entrenched once headline rates exceed 3.5%-4%.

Despite this, policymakers believe the underlying disinflationary trend is still intact. Bank of England forecasts show inflation is expected to return to the 2% target by the second quarter of 2027.