---
title: "The UK's annual inflation rate dropped to 3% in January, in line with expectations"
type: "News"
locale: "en"
url: "https://longbridge.com/en/news/276242291.md"
description: "The UK's Office for National Statistics reported that the annual inflation rate for January 2026 fell to 3%, down from 3.4% in December 2025, in line with market expectations. This is the lowest annual inflation rate since March 2025, primarily influenced by a slowdown in the increase of transportation and food prices. The core inflation rate, excluding food and energy, dropped to 3.1%, the lowest level since September 2021, indicating that underlying price pressures are easing. On a monthly basis, consumer prices decreased by 0.5%"
datetime: "2026-02-18T14:21:58.000Z"
locales:
  - [zh-CN](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/276242291.md)
  - [en](https://longbridge.com/en/news/276242291.md)
  - [zh-HK](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/276242291.md)
---

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# The UK's annual inflation rate dropped to 3% in January, in line with expectations

According to data from the Office for National Statistics, the UK Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 3% in the 12 months ending January 2026, lower than the 3.4% in the 12 months ending December 2025, in line with market expectations. This is the lowest annual inflation rate since March 2025, primarily driven by a slowdown in the increase of transportation and food prices.

The core inflation rate, which excludes volatile components such as food and energy, fell to 3.1% in January, the lowest level since September 2021, indicating that underlying price pressures are gradually easing.

On a monthly basis, consumer prices decreased by 0.5%, reversing the trend of a 0.4% increase in December

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