The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has blamed energy prices as the major factor in the highest UK inflation figures for three years. The rate of Consumer Prices Index inflation, which was introduced 14 years ago in the UK, matched its record high in September — increasing to 5.2 per cent. The ONS, which released the data, said: "By far the largest upward pressure to the change in CPI… came from increases in gas and electricity charges."