More UK Firms Reported Higher Costs Than Higher Prices

British firms reported a busier September and a sharper rise in costs, the Office for National Statistics said in its October 22, 2026 bulletin. Seventeen percent of trading businesses said September turnover was higher than in August, up 5 percentage points. For firms with 10 or more employees, the share was 26%.

Buying costs spread faster than selling prices. Thirty-three percent said prices of goods and services they bought rose in September, up 4 points from August and 12 points from September 2025. Twelve percent said their own selling prices rose, little changed on the month. Energy prices were the top reason given for considering a November price rise, at 32%. Fifteen percent named energy as their main concern for November, up 5 points from October. That share was 33% in transportation and storage and 25% in accommodation and food services.

In early October, 72% reported some concern about higher fuel prices. The survey, taken from October 5 to 18, is an official statistic in development. It counts firms, not the size of a household bill, and it says nothing about U.S. prices.

Do these percentages mean UK shop prices, or U.S. prices, rose by the same amounts? No. They measure how many businesses reported a change, not the percentage change in a household bill. No U.S. price effect was reported.