Drop in UK inflation is welcome but does not erase two years of pain

Food prices were 29% higher last month than in September 2021, leaving many households still under pressure

• UK inflation in unexpectedly steep fall to 3.9%
• Which goods and services have changed most in price?

At last, UK inflation has fallen far and fast enough to start to match countries such as France, where the annual rate of price rises has reduced at a faster pace this year.

At 3.9% last month, the headline figure remains almost double the 2% target set for the Bank of England but significantly lower than the 11.1% peak in October last year and below the 5.3% target Rishi Sunak set for the end of 2023.