1968 – present · Published UK data
What everyday things used to cost in Britain, and what they cost now.
A plain record of how household costs, prices, rents and earnings have changed over time, using published UK data. Compare different series, calculate equivalent amounts, and see how purchasing power has changed.
- Period covered
- 1968–present
- Coverage varies by series
- Categories
- Household essentials
- Energy, food, housing, earnings
- Source
- Published UK series
- ONS and other official publishers
The earliest published observation across all series is April 1968.
Compare a cost over time
Pick a published series, choose two dates and read the equivalent amount straight from the source observations.
- Series
- Food
- Data starts
- January 1988
- Data ends
- May 2026
- Measure
- Index · Monthly · UK
Loading available dates…
Loading the published series…
13 series available, read live from the source database.
How to read these figures
Cash prices
The price actually paid in that year, before any adjustment for inflation.
Today’s money
The same price restated at present-day values, so eras can be compared fairly.