Inflation up, unemployment down

Latest figures show CPI at 2.4%

Unemployment continued its downward trend last month, while prices continued to rise steadily.

The latest figures, published by the Cabinet Office, show inflation measured by the Consumer Prices Index grew to 2.4% in September.

The latest jump in inflation pegs us at a similar level to the UK, where CPI is currently at 2.7%.

But RPI inflation, which has fallen here to 3.9%, continues to outstrip the UK rate of 2.6%.

At the same time, unemployment remained at 0.8%, representing a continuous fall in the average rate since 2015.

Five people moved off the unemployment register in September, leaving a total jobless figure of 331.