MADRID, 14 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The annual inflation rate in the United Kingdom stood at 4% last January, in line with the rise in prices in December 2023, according to data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

In this way, the inflation rate in the United Kingdom started 2024 substantially above the rise in prices in other of the largest world economies, after the eurozone began the year at 2.8% and in the United States at 2.8%. 3.1%.

"The largest upward contribution to the monthly variation in annual CPI rates came from housing and domestic services (mainly higher gas and electricity charges), while the largest downward contribution came from furniture and household goods, and of food and non-alcoholic beverages," explained the UK Statistical Office.

The rise in the cost of living in the United Kingdom was mainly driven by the 6.9% increase in the price of food and non-alcoholic beverages, compared to 8% in December, while tobacco and alcohol rose by 12.4%. %, half a percentage point less than the previous month.

Thus, after discounting the impact of energy and fresh food, the core inflation rate remained unchanged at 5.1%.

On a monthly basis, UK inflation decreased by 0.6%, after rising 0.4% in December 2023.