The rate of consumer price inflation rose to 1.9% in November from 1.5% the previous month, official statistics showed.

Transport costs were the main contributor to the increase in the Consumer Prices Index, the Office for National Statistics reported.

There were also small upwards contributions from men’s and women’s outerwear. However, the price of clothing and footwear overall was down 6.3% in the 12 months to November.

The biggest downward influence on the CPI came from food and non-alcoholic drinks, prices of which rose by 0.6% month on month compared to a 1.4% increase a year ago. Vegetables and drinks such as coffee and tea were among the main contributors to the fall, but fruit prices rocketed 11.7% month on month.

The Retail Prices Index, which includes housing costs, rose by 0.3% in the year to November versus a fall of 0.8% in October.

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