Fuel Costs Drive UK Inflation to 3.5%, Diesel at Record Level

UK inflation rose to 3.5% in the 12 months to September 2026, above the 3.4% economists forecast, the Office for National Statistics said. Fuel was the largest driver: motor fuel prices were 29.8% higher than a year earlier. Diesel reached a record, averaging 199.18p a litre in late September, amid the Middle East conflict.