The Consumer Prices Index (CPI) jumped to 3.5% in April from 2.6% in March as a swathe of price increases on everything from energy prices to council tax and private school fees kicked in.

The 12 month rate of CPI inflation eased in March to 2.6% from 2.8% in February in an unexpected second consecutive monthly fall.

CPI inflation has spiked upwards for the second month in a row, to 2.6% in November, ONS reported today.