UK inflation compared with the G7
The UK's inflation rate was 3.4% in 2025, according to the IMF. That is the highest of the seven G7 countries ranked here. The UK had the highest (3.4%) and France the lowest (0.9%). The simple average across the 7 was 2.3%, a difference of 1.1 percentage points from the UK's figure.
On the OECD's latest monthly figures, the UK's inflation rate was 3.3% in August 2026, the joint 2nd-highest of the 7 countries in this table with a figure for that month.
| Rank | Country | 2025 (%) | 2016 | Latest month (OECD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United Kingdom | 3.4% | 0.7% | 3.3% August 2026 |
| 2 | Japan UK v Japan | 3.2% | minus 0.1% | 1.9% August 2026 |
| 3 | United States UK v United States | 2.7% | 1.3% | 3.4% August 2026 |
| 4 | Germany UK v Germany | 2.3% | 0.4% | 3.3% September 2026 |
| 5 | Canada UK v Canada | 2.1% | 1.4% | 3.0% August 2026 |
| 6 | Italy UK v Italy | 1.6% | minus 0.1% | 3.3% August 2026 |
| 7 | France UK v France | 0.9% | 0.3% | 2.4% August 2026 |
The UK over ten years
Over 2016 to 2025, the UK's highest value was 9.1% (2022) and its lowest 0.7% (2016).
The UK's figure was higher than the average in every year from 2016 to 2025.
In 2016 the UK ranked 3rd of the 7 countries with a figure; in 2025 it ranked 1st of 7.
Two countries had a higher figure than the UK in 2016 and a lower one in 2025: the US and Canada.
The IMF's projection for the UK in 2026 is 3.3%.
Country by country, 2016 and 2025
- United Kingdom: 3.4% in 2025, 1st; 0.7% in 2016, 3rd.
- Japan: 3.2% in 2025, 2nd; minus 0.1% in 2016, 6th=.
- United States: 2.7% in 2025, 3rd; 1.3% in 2016, 2nd.
- Germany: 2.3% in 2025, 4th; 0.4% in 2016, 4th.
- Canada: 2.1% in 2025, 5th; 1.4% in 2016, 1st.
- Italy: 1.6% in 2025, 6th; minus 0.1% in 2016, 6th=.
- France: 0.9% in 2025, 7th; 0.3% in 2016, 5th.
How the IMF measures it
The IMF measures inflation as the percentage change in the average level of each country's consumer price index over a calendar year compared with the year before. For the UK the index is the ONS Consumer Prices Index (CPI). The monthly column comes from the OECD and is the 12-month change in each country's national consumer price index for the latest month it has published.
IMF figures for recent years can include IMF staff estimates; the IMF revises them in each April and October edition.
Countries compared: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US. The table uses the latest year for which the UK and at least three-quarters of the countries the IMF covers have a figure, so every value is for the same period.
Why this differs from the UK's own figures
The ONS's headline CPI rate, the one in the news each month, is the change in prices over 12 months to a single month. The IMF's annual figure is the change in the average price level over a whole calendar year, so it moves more slowly and will not match any single month. The OECD's monthly figure for the UK is the ONS CPI rate itself. The ONS also publishes CPIH, which adds owner occupiers' housing costs, and RPI; neither is used in these international tables.
The UK's own latest figure, with its definition and release dates: UK inflation rate (CPI).
Sources and receipts
Every value on this page was read from these addresses. The SHA-256 is the fingerprint of the file as downloaded, so a later change at the source can be detected.
- https://www.imf.org/external/datamapper/api/v1/PCPIPCH
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook database (IMF DataMapper) · read 2026-10-14 · SHA-256
e36fb78dc58c5b50… - https://sdmx.oecd.org/public/rest/data/OECD.SDD.TPS,DSD_PRICES@DF_PRICES_ALL,1.0/.M..CPI.PA._T+CP045.N.GY?s…
OECD, Consumer price indices · read 2026-10-14 · SHA-256
7f602aa3372de03a… - https://sdmx.oecd.org/public/rest/data/OECD.SDD.TPS,DSD_PRICES_COICOP2018@DF_PRICES_C2018_ALL,1.0/.M..CPI.P…
OECD, Consumer price indices · read 2026-10-14 · SHA-256
ee244608acd0fa96… - International Monetary Fund: World Economic Outlook database (IMF DataMapper)The publisher's page for this data, indicator PCPIPCH.
Common questions
Where does the UK rank for inflation rate in the G7?
Counting from the highest, the UK is 1st of 7 with 3.4% in 2025, on IMF figures.
Which G7 country has the highest inflation rate?
The UK, at 3.4% in 2025 (International Monetary Fund).
Which G7 country has the lowest inflation rate?
France, at 0.9% in 2025 (International Monetary Fund).
What is the G7 average inflation rate?
The simple average of the 7 countries with figures for 2025 is 2.3%. The UK's figure is 3.4%.
How has the UK's inflation rate changed since 2016?
It was 0.7% in 2016 and 3.4% in 2025, according to the IMF.
What is the latest monthly figure?
On the OECD's latest monthly figures, the UK's inflation rate was 3.3% in August 2026, the joint 2nd-highest of the 7 countries in this table with a figure for that month.
Is this the same as the UK's official figure?
The ONS's headline CPI rate, the one in the news each month, is the change in prices over 12 months to a single month. The IMF's annual figure is the change in the average price level over a whole calendar year, so it moves more slowly and will not match any single month.
More comparisons
- UK inflation compared with EU countries
- UK national debt compared with the G7
- UK unemployment compared with the G7
- UK GDP growth compared with the G7
- UK productivity compared with the G7
Compare any two countries on GDP, inflation, unemployment, debt and life expectancy: country comparison tool.
These pages state each body's figures and the UK's position among them. They give no view on whether a figure is high or low. To report an error, send a correction request.