Inflation reaches 9.1%, according to ONS 

The figure is up from nine percent in April, and all three measures of consumer price inflation – Household Cost Indices, Consumer Prices Indices and Retail Price Indices – have seen sharp rises since March 2021.

The current drivers of inflation include essentials such as food and non-alcoholic beverages, transport and housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels, according to the ONS.

Its analysis further found people are using a variety of responses to cope with the increased pressure on finances.

Those cutting back on food and essential spending was 41%, and those using savings to get by was 21%, People turning more to credit reached 15%.

Around 60% of adults reported spending less on non-essential items in response to rising costs.

Richard Lane, director of external affairs at StepChange Debt Charity, said: “The Government’s package of cost of living support measures will undoubtedly help many households to cope, albeit with difficulty.

“Yet for many people on low incomes and in debt, who have already pared back to the bare essentials, there’s still a shortfall between income and essential spending.

“Every hike in inflation widens the gap, and leaves people having to make ever more difficult choices in an impossible financial situation.

“Among new clients turning to us for help, through the course of this year we’ve seen that on average they already have higher levels of arrears at the time they seek advice than they did last year.

“Helping lower income households to stabilise their budgets and prevent a worsening debt spiral needs to be an ongoing urgent priority for Government as well as for firms.”