Research method · 21 October 2026

Read the release, then the reaction.

This checklist works for any monthly UK consumer-price bulletin. It does not report a new inflation figure or predict a market move.

Open the ONS bulletin Check the release calendar

Five-minute source check

Write down what the bulletin actually measures.

1 · Status

Confirm publication.

Read the release date, reference month, and any correction notice on the ONS page. A scheduled release is not a published result.

2 · Measure

Keep CPI and CPIH separate.

Record which series you are quoting. CPIH includes owner occupiers' housing costs; CPI does not use the same coverage.

3 · Period

Label each comparison.

Distinguish the 12-month rate from the month-on-month change. Compare like periods and note rounding or revisions.

4 · Drivers

Check contributions.

Read the ONS explanation of which categories moved the rate. A single category is not the whole household experience.

5 · Decision

Separate data from action.

Write one fact, one uncertainty, and one question for your own budget or research plan. Do not turn one release into a trading signal.

Apply the method

Take the next step that fits your question.

Household budget

Compare the published categories with your own spending; the national average is not your personal inflation rate.

Open Money Library

Portfolio research

Recheck product structure, costs, time horizon, and assumptions before changing an allocation.

Open Investing

Trading process

Log what was known before the release and what changed after it; keep risk limits independent of a headline.

Open Trading Academy

Bitcoin context

Separate the inflation narrative from rates, liquidity, custody risk, and Bitcoin-specific evidence.

Open Bitcoin Start

Original sources

Verify the schedule and the definitions.

At the 21 October 2026 pre-release check, the ONS listed its September 2026 consumer-price bulletin for 07:00 London time. Use the live bulletin for any result after publication.

ONS September 2026 release page — publication status and schedule.
ONS publication-method guide — measures, release process, and revisions.
ONS inflation and price-indices hub — current bulletins and time series.

Education and risk note

This guide is educational, not financial, investment, trading, or tax advice. Verify the live ONS bulletin before quoting figures or making a decision.

Read the full disclaimer