Inflation increased to 2.3% in October, heaping pressure on the Bank of England to delay further interest rate cuts until next year.
Figures released by the Office for National Statistics showed a rise in the consumer prices index (CPI), reversing a downward trend this year in inflation, which was 1.7% in September.
City economists polled by Reuters had expected inflation to be 2.2% in October.
Retailers have warned that measures announced in Labour’s budget in October will lead to higher prices and the tax rises have already hit consumer confidence.
Policymakers at the Bank, who are tasked with keeping inflation near to a 2% target, have cut interest rates twice to 4.75%, but a further reduction at a meeting in December is likely to be put off until at least February.
Rising prices have eaten into consumer spending power over the last three years, and by more in the UK than other big economies.
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Figures have previously shown that, from January 2021 to May 2024, UK consumer prices increased by 22.8% in total, compared with 20.9% in Germany, 18.8% in the US and 16.6% in France.