The percentage annual rate of inflation for the year to any month can be found by dividing that month's index by the one for a year earlier, deducting 1 and multiplying by 100.
E.g. November 1997 - index is 159.6, November 1996 index was 153.9
159.6 / 153.9 = 1.0370370
Deduct one gives 0.0370370
Multiply by 100 gives 3.70370% or 3.7% to a sensible rounding.
The value of one pound at any date can similarly be found from the ratio of the indices.
The index for January 1915 was 4.1
159.6 / 4.1 = 38.93.
So you would need almost 39 pounds today (December 1997) to have the same purchasing power as one pound in January 1915.
Such comparisons should be treated with caution because the type of items purchased have changed so much over the years.
I hope you find this table useful.
New, August 1999:
The Retail Price Index is now part of the Consumer Prices reports.
RPI / CPI figures are produced by the Office for National Statistics.
You will find the latest UK Government statistics, including the monthly updates of the CP figures and lots more detail about how they are calculated at http://www.statistics.gov.uk
| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| 1915 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.9 |
| 1916 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.1 | 5.2 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.4 | 5.5 | 5.8 | 6.0 |
| 1917 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.1 | 6.2 | 6.3 | 6.4 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.6 | 6.4 | 6.7 | 6.7 |
| 1918 | 6.8 | 6.9 | 6.9 | 7.0 | 7.1 | 7.2 | 7.3 | 7.6 | 7.6 | 7.9 | 8.0 | 7.9 |
| 1919 | 7.9 | 7.9 | 7.8 | 7.6 | 7.4 | 7.4 | 7.5 | 7.8 | 7.8 | 7.9 | 8.1 | 8.1 |
| 1920 | 8.1 | 8.3 | 8.3 | 8.4 | 8.7 | 9.0 | 9.1 | 9.2 | 9.4 | 9.5 | 10.0 | 9.7 |
| 1921 | 9.6 | 9.1 | 8.7 | 8.4 | 8.2 | 7.9 | 7.9 | 8.0 | 7.9 | 7.6 | 7.3 | 7.2 |
| 1922 | 6.9 | 6.8 | 6.7 | 6.6 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.6 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.4 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| 1923 | 6.4 | 6.4 | 6.4 | 6.3 | 6.1 | 6.1 | 6.1 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 6.3 | 6.3 | 6.4 |
| 1924 | 6.4 | 6.5 | 6.4 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 6.1 | 6.1 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 6.4 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| 1925 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.3 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 6.3 | 6.4 | 6.4 | 6.4 |
| 1926 | 6.3 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 6.1 | 6.0 | 6.1 | 6.1 | 6.1 | 6.2 | 6.3 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| 1927 | 6.3 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 6.0 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 6.0 | 5.9 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.1 | 6.1 |
| 1928 | 6.1 | 6.0 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.1 |
| 1929 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 5.9 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 |
| 1930 | 6.0 | 5.9 | 5.8 | 5.7 | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.7 | 5.7 | 5.6 | 5.7 | 5.6 |
| 1931 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.4 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.2 | 5.3 | 5.2 | 5.2 | 5.2 | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| 1932 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.2 | 5.2 | 5.1 | 5.2 | 5.1 | 5.1 | 5.2 | 5.2 | 5.2 |
| 1933 | 5.1 | 5.1 | 5.0 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.1 | 5.1 | 5.2 | 5.2 |
| 1934 | 5.1 | 5.1 | 5.1 | 5.0 | 4.9 | 5.0 | 5.1 | 5.1 | 5.2 | 5.2 | 5.2 | 5.2 |
| 1935 | 5.2 | 5.1 | 5.1 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.1 | 5.2 | 5.2 | 5.2 | 5.2 | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| 1936 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.2 | 5.2 | 5.2 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.5 | 5.5 |
| 1937 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.7 | 5.8 | 5.8 |
| 1938 | 5.7 | 5.7 | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.7 | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.6 |
| 1939 | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.6 | 6.0 | 6.1 | 6.2 |
| 1940 | 6.3 | 6.4 | 6.5 | 6.4 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.8 | 6.7 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 6.9 | 7.0 |
| 1941 | 7.1 | 7.1 | 7.1 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.3 |
| 1942 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.3 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 |
| 1943 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 |
| 1944 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.3 |
| 1945 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.4 | 7.5 | 7.4 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.3 |
| 1946 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.4 | 7.3 | 7.4 | 7.4 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.4 |
| 1947 | 7.4 | 7.3 | 7.4 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.4 | 7.3 | 7.4 | 7.4 | 7.6 | 7.6 |
| 1948 | 7.6 | 7.8 | 7.8 | 7.9 | 7.9 | 8.0 | 7.9 | 7.9 | 7.9 | 7.9 | 8.0 | 8.0 |
| 1949 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 8.1 | 8.1 | 8.2 | 8.2 | 8.2 | 8.2 | 8.2 | 8.3 |
| 1950 | 8.3 | 8.3 | 8.3 | 8.3 | 8.4 | 8.3 | 8.3 | 8.3 | 8.3 | 8.4 | 8.5 | 8.5 |
| 1951 | 8.6 | 8.7 | 8.7 | 8.9 | 9.1 | 9.1 | 9.3 | 9.3 | 9.4 | 9.4 | 9.5 | 9.5 |
| 1952 | 9.7 | 9.7 | 9.8 | 9.9 | 9.9 | 10.1 | 10.1 | 10.0 | 10.0 | 10.1 | 10.1 | 10.2 |
| 1953 | 10.1 | 10.2 | 10.2 | 10.3 | 10.3 | 10.4 | 10.4 | 10.3 | 10.3 | 10.3 | 10.3 | 10.3 |
| 1954 | 10.3 | 10.3 | 10.4 | 10.4 | 10.4 | 10.4 | 10.6 | 10.5 | 10.5 | 10.6 | 10.6 | 10.7 |
| 1955 | 10.7 | 10.7 | 10.7 | 10.8 | 10.7 | 11.0 | 11.0 | 10.9 | 11.0 | 11.1 | 11.3 | 11.3 |
| 1956 | 11.2 | 11.2 | 11.4 | 11.6 | 11.5 | 11.5 | 11.5 | 11.5 | 11.5 | 11.6 | 11.6 | 11.6 |
| 1957 | 11.7 | 11.7 | 11.7 | 11.8 | 11.8 | 11.9 | 12.0 | 12.0 | 11.9 | 12.0 | 12.1 | 12.2 |
| 1958 | 12.2 | 12.1 | 12.2 | 12.3 | 12.3 | 12.4 | 12.2 | 12.2 | 12.2 | 12.3 | 12.4 | 12.4 |
| 1959 | 12.4 | 12.4 | 12.4 | 12.3 | 12.3 | 12.3 | 12.3 | 12.3 | 12.2 | 12.3 | 12.4 | 12.4 |
| 1960 | 12.4 | 12.4 | 12.3 | 12.4 | 12.4 | 12.5 | 12.5 | 12.4 | 12.4 | 12.5 | 12.6 | 12.6 |
| 1961 | 12.6 | 12.6 | 12.7 | 12.7 | 12.8 | 12.9 | 12.9 | 13.0 | 13.0 | 13.0 | 13.1 | 13.2 |
| 1962 | 13.2 | 13.2 | 13.3 | 13.5 | 13.5 | 13.6 | 13.5 | 13.4 | 13.4 | 13.4 | 13.5 | 13.5 |
| 1963 | 13.6 | 13.7 | 13.7 | 13.7 | 13.7 | 13.7 | 13.7 | 13.6 | 13.7 | 13.7 | 13.7 | 13.8 |
| 1964 | 13.8 | 13.9 | 13.9 | 14.0 | 14.1 | 14.2 | 14.2 | 14.2 | 14.2 | 14.3 | 14.4 | 14.4 |
| 1965 | 14.5 | 14.5 | 14.5 | 14.8 | 14.9 | 14.9 | 14.9 | 14.9 | 14.9 | 14.9 | 15.0 | 15.1 |
| 1966 | 15.1 | 15.1 | 15.1 | 15.3 | 15.4 | 15.5 | 15.4 | 15.5 | 15.5 | 15.5 | 15.6 | 15.6 |
| 1967 | 15.7 | 15.7 | 15.7 | 15.8 | 15.8 | 15.8 | 15.8 | 15.7 | 15.7 | 15.8 | 15.9 | 16.0 |
| 1968 | 16.1 | 16.2 | 16.2 | 16.5 | 16.5 | 16.6 | 16.6 | 16.6 | 16.6 | 16.7 | 16.7 | 17.0 |
| 1969 | 17.1 | 17.2 | 17.2 | 17.4 | 17.4 | 17.5 | 17.5 | 17.4 | 17.5 | 17.6 | 17.6 | 17.8 |
| 1970 | 17.9 | 18.0 | 18.1 | 18.4 | 18.4 | 18.5 | 18.6 | 18.6 | 18.7 | 18.9 | 19.0 | 19.2 |
| 1971 | 19.4 | 19.5 | 19.7 | 20.1 | 20.2 | 20.4 | 20.5 | 20.5 | 20.6 | 20.7 | 20.8 | 20.9 |
| 1972 | 21.0 | 21.1 | 21.2 | 21.4 | 21.5 | 21.6 | 21.7 | 21.9 | 22.0 | 22.3 | 22.4 | 22.5 |
| 1973 | 22.6 | 22.8 | 22.9 | 23.4 | 23.5 | 23.6 | 23.7 | 23.8 | 24.0 | 24.5 | 24.7 | 24.9 |
| 1974 | 25.4 | 25.8 | 26.0 | 26.9 | 27.3 | 27.6 | 27.8 | 27.8 | 28.1 | 28.7 | 29.2 | 29.6 |
| 1975 | 30.4 | 30.9 | 31.5 | 32.7 | 34.1 | 34.8 | 35.1 | 35.3 | 35.6 | 36.1 | 36.6 | 37.0 |
| 1976 | 37.5 | 38.0 | 38.2 | 38.9 | 39.3 | 39.5 | 39.6 | 40.2 | 40.7 | 41.4 | 42.0 | 42.6 |
| 1977 | 43.7 | 44.1 | 44.6 | 45.7 | 46.1 | 46.5 | 46.6 | 46.8 | 47.1 | 47.3 | 47.5 | 47.8 |
| 1978 | 48.0 | 48.3 | 48.6 | 49.3 | 49.6 | 50.0 | 50.2 | 50.5 | 50.7 | 51.0 | 51.3 | 51.8 |
| 1979 | 52.5 | 53.0 | 53.4 | 54.3 | 54.7 | 55.7 | 58.1 | 58.5 | 59.1 | 59.7 | 60.3 | 60.7 |
| 1980 | 62.2 | 63.1 | 63.9 | 66.1 | 66.7 | 67.4 | 67.9 | 68.1 | 68.5 | 68.9 | 69.5 | 69.9 |
| 1981 | 70.3 | 70.9 | 72.0 | 74.1 | 74.6 | 75.0 | 75.3 | 75.9 | 76.3 | 77.0 | 77.8 | 78.3 |
| 1982 | 78.7 | 78.8 | 79.4 | 81.0 | 81.6 | 81.9 | 81.9 | 81.9 | 81.9 | 82.3 | 82.7 | 82.5 |
| 1983 | 82.6 | 83.0 | 83.1 | 84.3 | 84.6 | 84.8 | 85.3 | 85.7 | 86.1 | 86.4 | 86.7 | 86.9 |
| 1984 | 86.8 | 87.2 | 87.5 | 88.6 | 89.0 | 89.2 | 89.1 | 89.9 | 90.1 | 90.7 | 91.0 | 90.9 |
| 1985 | 91.2 | 91.9 | 92.8 | 94.8 | 95.2 | 95.4 | 95.2 | 95.5 | 95.4 | 95.6 | 95.9 | 96.0 |
| 1986 | 96.2 | 96.6 | 96.7 | 97.7 | 97.8 | 97.8 | 97.5 | 97.8 | 98.3 | 98.5 | 99.3 | 99.6 |
| 1987 | 100.0 | 100.4 | 100.6 | 101.8 | 101.9 | 101.9 | 101.8 | 102.1 | 102.4 | 102.9 | 103.4 | 103.3 |
| 1988 | 103.3 | 103.7 | 104.1 | 105.8 | 106.2 | 106.6 | 106.7 | 107.9 | 108.4 | 109.5 | 110.0 | 110.3 |
| 1989 | 111.0 | 111.8 | 112.3 | 114.3 | 115.0 | 115.4 | 115.5 | 115.8 | 116.6 | 117.5 | 118.5 | 118.8 |
| 1990 | 119.5 | 120.2 | 121.4 | 125.1 | 126.2 | 126.7 | 126.8 | 128.1 | 129.3 | 130.3 | 130.0 | 129.9 |
| 1991 | 130.2 | 130.9 | 131.4 | 133.1 | 133.5 | 134.1 | 133.8 | 134.1 | 134.6 | 135.1 | 135.6 | 135.7 |
| 1992 | 135.6 | 136.3 | 136.7 | 138.8 | 139.3 | 139.3 | 138.8 | 138.9 | 139.4 | 139.9 | 139.7 | 139.2 |
| 1993 | 137.9 | 138.8 | 139.3 | 140.6 | 141.1 | 141.0 | 140.7 | 141.3 | 141.9 | 141.8 | 141.6 | 141.9 |
| 1994 | 141.3 | 142.1 | 142.5 | 144.2 | 144.7 | 144.7 | 144.0 | 144.7 | 145.0 | 145.2 | 145.3 | 146.0 |
| 1995 | 146.0 | 146.9 | 147.5 | 149.0 | 149.6 | 149.8 | 149.1 | 149.9 | 150.6 | 149.8 | 149.8 | 150.7 |
| 1996 | 150.2 | 150.9 | 151.5 | 152.6 | 152.9 | 153.0 | 152.4 | 153.1 | 153.8 | 153.8 | 153.9 | 154.4 |
| 1997 | 154.4 | 155.0 | 155.4 | 156.3 | 156.9 | 157.5 | 157.5 | 158.5 | 159.3 | 159.5 | 159.6 | 160.0 |
| 1998 | 159.5 | 160.3 | 160.8 | 162.6 | 163.5 | 163.4 | 163.0 | 163.7 | 164.4 | 164.5 | 164.4 | 164.4 |
| 1999 | 163.4 | 163.7 | 164.1 | 165.2 | 165.6 | 165.6 | 165.1 | 165.5 | 166.2 | 166.5 | 166.7 | 167.3 |
| 2000 | 166.6 | 167.5 | 168.4 | 170.1 | 170.7 | 171.1 | 170.5 | 170.5 | 171.7 | 171.6 | 172.1 | 171.1 |
| 2001 | 171.1 | 172.0 | 172.2 | 173.1 | 174.2 | 174.4 | 173.3 | 174.0 | 174.6 | 174.3 | 173.6 | 173.4 |
| 2002 | 173.3 | 173.8 | 174.5 | 175.7 | 176.2 | 176.2 | 175.9 | 176.4 | 177.6 | 177.9 | 178.2 | 178.5 |
| 2003 | 178.4 | 179.3 | 179.9 | 181.2 | 181.5 | 181.3 | 181.3 | 181.6 | 182.5 | 182.6 | 182.7 | 183.5 |
| 2004 | 183.1 | 183.8 | 184.6 | 185.7 | 186.5 | 186.8 | 186.8 | 187.4 | 188.1 | 188.6 | 189.0 | 189.9 |
| 2005 | 188.9 | 189.6 | 190.5 | 191.6 | 192.0 | 192.2 | 192.2 | 192.6 | 193.1 | 193.3 | 193.6 | 194.1 |
| 2006 | 193.4 | 194.2 | 195.0 | 196.5 | 197.7 | 198.5 | 198.5 | 199.2 | 200.1 | 200.4 |
