5. Strategy and forward work programme for consumer price statistics

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has a programme of research and development aimed at improving and maintaining its range of consumer price inflation statistics. The programme aims to ensure that the statistics continue to meet user needs, make use of new and innovative methods and data sources, and follow international best practice.

The Consumer Prices Development Plan, published in July 2022, reflects how ONS’s consumer prices development work contributes to the strategy. Items on the development plan are prioritised through discussion with the Advisory Panels on Consumer Prices.

Since the previous iteration of the work programme, a considerable amount of progress has been made, as reflected in the topics discussed with the panels through the course of 2021 and 2022.