Office for National Statistics

It is good that inflation has dropped, but life isn't returning to normality any time soon (Getty)

Inflation defies analysts and drops down - but things aren't 'normal' Gurj Nanrah

The UK's inflation rate has unexpectedly dropped to its lowest level in 18 months according to the Office for National Statistics. (Credit: Getty Images)

Inflation unexpectedly drops to lowest level in 18 months

The UK economy shrank by 0.5% in July, prompting more recession fears.

Recession fears as UK economy shrinks by ‘more than expected’ in July

English rail fares could rise by up to 8% in 2024 if the Government uses the same formula as this year, new figures show. (Lauren Hurley/PA Wire)

Rail fares in England could rise by 8% in 2024

The new scheme will run CCTV images through the police database

Supermarkets to identify thieves with new CCTV face recognition scheme

The number of babies born in the UK has hit its lowest ever level since 2002. (Photo: Adobe Stock)

‘Good for our planet’: babies born in UK at lowest level since 2002

This is how inflation is calculated by the Office for National Statistics (images: Adobe)

Explainer How does inflation work? ONS process to calculate cost of living

Rocketing rates of UK inflation are denting consumer spending power (image: Shutterstock)

Explainer RPI vs CPI: what’s the difference between ONS cost of living indexes?

The latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows stable energy prices drove the drop, although food prices are continuing to climb at a rapid rate (Pic: PA)

Explainer What is the UK inflation rate? How July 2023 CPI and RPI affects you

Salary of Happiness: Find out how much money is enough to be happy in the UK - top 10 cities ranked

Find out how much money you need to be happy across 10 UK cities

The English towns, villages and cities with the oldest populations have been revealed

Census reveals English towns and villages with the oldest populations

Pupils from smaller towns generally did better than those from larger towns, the analysis by the Office for National Statistics shows. Image: AdobeStock/Kim Mogg/NationalWorld

All English towns and cities ranked by educational achievement

UK inflation falls to 7.9% in June - its lowest rate in more than a year. (Photo: Aaron Chown/PA Wire)

UK inflation falls to 7.9% - its lowest rate in more than a year

Wages in the UK are rising at a record pace but are still failing to keep up with sky-high inflation, new figures have revealed. Credit: Kim Mogg / NationalWorld

UK wages rise at record rate but fail to keep up with inflation

Northern Ireland had the greatest decrease in exports to the EU between 2018 and 2021, with the value of exports dropping by more than a third. Image: NationalWorld

Brexit: nine UK regions where exports have fallen since 2018

Marta Ortega Pérez has certainly made her mark at Zara. Photographs by Getty

How has Inditex heiress Marta Ortega Pérez made her mark at Zara?

The ONS reports that there are around 70,000 second addresses were used as holiday homes in England and Wales. Image: NationalWorld

Holiday home hotspots mapped as campaigners warn of ghost town effect

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes house prices data every month (images: NationalWorld)

Explainer Are house prices falling near you? Check with our interactive tool

UK economy bounces back in April as pubs and bars boost spending. (Photo: Yui Mok/PA Wire)

UK economy bounces back in April as pubs and bars boost spending

Why are UK house price indexes so different? (images: Adobe/AFP/Getty Images)

Explainer Why UK house price estimates are so different from each other

Refugee charities have condemned the UK’s asylum system as “devastating” as new figures reveal the backlog in processing claims has hit a record high. Credit: Getty Images

Charities say record high asylum backlog is ‘devastating’ for refugees

Migrants are “invaluable” to the adult social care sector, an industry leader has stressed, as he warned that the workforce shortage is “unsustainable”. Credit: Mark Hall / NationalWorld

Migrants ‘invaluable’ to adult social care sector, says industry chief

Net migration was at 606,000 in 2022. Credit: Mark Hall/Getty/Adobe Stock

Net migration to the UK hits 606K in 2022 with 76K asylum seekers

Food prices are still at “eye-watering levels” despite a dip in inflation (Photo: Getty Images)

Inflation falls to lowest level in year but food prices ‘still rising’

Vodafone has announced plans to axe thousands of jobs as the UK unemployment rate rises once again. Credit: Kim Mogg / NationalWorld

Vodafone axes 11,000 jobs as UK unemployment rate rises again

UK unemployment rate increase - ONS

These are some of the most affluent communities in the North West of England.

The North West’s 12 priciest neighbourhoods to buy a home

Inflation remains above 10%. Credit: Mark Hall/Getty/Adobe

Inflation dips but stays above 10% as food prices hit 45-year high

These are the most expensive neighbourhoods in the North East.

The North East’s 15 priciest neighbourhoods to buy a home

Thousands of banks and building societies have closed across the UK since 2015.

Exclusive Almost 5,000 UK banks close since 2015 – worst hit areas revealed

Grocery inflation hit 18.2% - the highest rate in 45 years. Credit: Mark Hall

Vegetable shortages help drive surprise jump in inflation to 10.4%

NationalWorld’s interactive salary calculator will show you if your salary has kept up with inflation (Image: /NationalWorld/Mark Hall)

Work out your real-terms pay cut with our salary calculator

Entertainment, transport and education helped to drive growth in January (Photo: Getty Images)

UK economy rebounds in January easing fears of impending recession

Many well known companies in the UK are still failing to close the gender pay gap (Image: Adobe/NationalWorld/Mark Hall)

International Women’s Day: 18 companies with huge gender pay gaps

Jeremy Hunt said “getting debt down will require some tough choices” (Photo: Getty Images)

Government records surprise budget surplus in January

UK inflation has fallen slightly for the third month in a row to 10.1% (Photo: Getty Images)

UK inflation falls for third month in a row to 10.1%

Explainer Number of working days lost to strikes is highest since 1989

Covid infections have increased for the first time in five weeks in England (Composite: Kim Mogg / NationalWorld)

Top Covid symptoms as UK infections rise for first time in weeks

Covid infection rates have increased in England.

14 areas with the highest Covid-19 infection rates as cases climb

The UK narrowly avoided a recession in the second half of last year (Photo: Getty Images)

UK narrowly avoids recession after economy flatlined at end of 2022

Here are how UK regions compare on Covid-19 infection rates. Credit: Mark Hall / NationalWorld

Covid: UK regions with the highest infection rates

Figures published by the ONS shows regional variations in antibody protection around England.

Regions of England with the highest Covid antibody protection

Food prices hit another 45-year high in December (Photo: Getty Images)

Inflation eases as fuel costs fall - but food prices hit 45-year high

Millions of people across the UK are estimated to have Covid.

The 15 areas of the UK with the highest Covid infection rates

(Composite: Mark Hall / NationalWorld)

Top Covid symptoms as UK infections hit highest level since summer

Thousands more people died in the run up to Christmas compared to before the pandemic, as the NHS comes under unprecedented strain (Image: NationalWorld/Mark Hall)

NHS crisis: 420 excess deaths recorded every day before Christmas

For the first time, the number of people in the LGBT+ community in England and Wales has been estimated following the 2021 census. (Credit: Kim Mogg/NationalWorld)

‘Historic’ census data on LGBT+ populations published for first time

(Composite: Kim Mogg)

4 main warning signs you have long Covid - the symptoms to know

Gender pay gap lower in Scotland than UK as a whole, figures show

The UKHSA will stop releasing data on the Covid-19 R rate (Getty Images)

UKHSA to stop publishing R number for Covid-19 in January

Christmas baby names: from Bethlehem to Angel, Snow to Ebenezer, here are all the festive names given to babies in Britain in the last five years (Image: NationalWorld/Mark Hall)

Britain’s most popular Christmas baby names - from Ebenezer to Noelle

Covid infection rates have continued to increase in England and Scotland.

The areas of the UK with the highest Covid infection rates

A sore throat is the number one symptom of Covid right now, according to the ZOE Health Study (Composite: Kim Mogg)

Top Covid symptom right now - and one sign that means it’s not flu

People are being urged to stay at home if they have flu-like symptoms this Christmas (Photo: Getty Images)

Key symptoms of a cold, flu and Covid - and how to tell them apart

A lateral flow test result is interpreted by the two letters on the device (Photo: Shutterstock)

What it means if Covid lateral flow test result shows a faint red line

Covid infections are increasing across much of the UK, according to the latest figures published by the ONS.

The 15 UK areas with the highest coronavirus infection rates