Cost of living up 2.2%
The cost of living has increased by 2.2% in the last year, official figures revealed today.
Inflation jumped by 0.9% in March alone, the Central Statistics Office's Consumer Price Index revealed.
Higher fuel costs pushed up transport prices and, as high street sales were finally wound up, clothing and footwear costs also rose.
Increases in Education (+9.4%), Transport (+7.6%), Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco (+3.9%) and Miscellaneous Goods & Services (+3.7%) all contributed to the rise.
There were decreases in Furnishings, Household Equipment & Routine Household Maintenance (-2.1%), Recreation & Culture (-0.7%) and Clothing & Footwear (-0.7%).
The most significant monthly price changes were increases in Transport (+4%), Clothing & Footwear (+2.7%) and Miscellaneous Goods & Services (+1.7%).
The annual rate of inflation for services was 3.3% in the year to March, while goods increased by 1%. Services, excluding mortgage interest repayments, increased by 3.7% in the year since March 2011.
More than 50,000 prices are collected for a representative basket consisting of 632 item headings in a fixed panel of retail and service outlets throughout the country for the survey.
