Richard Carter

Services inflation remains 'sticky' ahead of MPC meeting on interest rates

Economy in recovery from mild technical recession last year

Services inflation in decline alongside gas and electricity prices

Growth follows two quarterly declines in second half of 2023

Inflation rises after two consecutive months of sharp falls

Increases attributed to rise in housing and household services costs

Follows the record-breaking launch of the government’s first offering last week

'Wait-and-see' mode for BoE as core inflation reaches highest rate since 2011

The inflation rate’s biggest increase since records began in 1997

Office for National Statistics figures show the effects of lockdown easing in 2020