Inflation keeps rising

Higher food prices and university tuition fees pushed inflation to an eight-year high. In October, the Retail Prices Index rose by 3.7% from 3.6% the month before. Inflation was last higher in May 1998 when it hit 4.2%.

The Consumer Prices Index (CPI), which excludes housing costs and is the government's preferred measure, was steady at 2.4% in October with falling petrol prices offsetting the rise in food prices.