Business

Inflation rate falls to 2.6% on back of falling fuel prices

The falling price of fuel and computer games has helped bring down the inflation figure to 2.6%
The falling price of fuel and computer games has helped bring down the inflation figure to 2.6% The falling price of fuel and computer games has helped bring down the inflation figure to 2.6%

Inflation dropped back last month as the falling price of fuel and computer games eased the pressure on household spending power.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the Consumer Price Index (CPI) measure of inflation fell to 2.6% growth in June, down from 2.9% the month before.

While the fall was below economists' expectations of 2.9%, the cost of living has remained above the Bank of England's target of 2%.

The move will ease the pressure on consumers, who have seen their pay squeezed by sluggish wage growth and higher inflation triggered by the Brexit-hit pound.

It comes after annual total pay in real terms sank by 0.7% to its lowest level since the summer of 2014 in the three months to May and fell by 0.5% excluding bonuses over the period.

Jonanthan Athow, ONS deputy national statistician, said: "Today's fall in inflation is mainly due to drops in petrol and diesel prices. However, the rate remains higher than in the recent past."

The main downward pressure on the cost of living came from fuel, which saw the fourth consecutive month of falling prices, dropping 1.1% between May and June.

Petrol prices dropped by 1.1p over the period to 115.3p per litre, while diesel also declined by 1.4p to 117.3p.

Recreational and cultural goods, which includes computer games, was also driving overall prices lower after dropping by 0.1% on the month following a rise of 0.6% over the same period last year.

Upward pressure on everyday prices came from food, which saw costs ease back by a smaller 0.3% in June compared with a 0.4% fall for the same month in 2016.

Last month's drop was driven by a slide in the price of boxes of chocolates and bags of sweets, which caused the overall category for sugar, jam, honey, syrups, chocolate and confectionery to drop by 2.6%.