The United Kingdom’s Retail Price Index (RPI) inflation rate edged higher to 3.2% year-on-year in July 2026, up from 3.0% in June 2026, according to data updated on 19 August 2026. The figures compare price changes in each respective month against the same month a year earlier.
The increase suggests a modest re-acceleration in retail price growth after the prior month’s reading had pointed to slightly softer inflationary pressure. While RPI is no longer the UK’s primary official inflation gauge, it remains closely watched in financial markets and for index-linked contracts, and the July rise may draw attention from investors monitoring the trajectory of price trends into the second half of the year.
On a year-over-year comparison basis, the “actual” July reading reflects the pace of change versus July a year ago, while the “previous” June figure measured changes against June of the prior year. The shift from 3.0% to 3.2% highlights that, on this measure, the disinflation trend seen earlier in the year has at least temporarily lost some momentum.
