Britain plans to publish American-style monthly inflation figures for the first time, providing economists and investors a better grasp of recent movements in prices.

Currently the Office for National Statistics releases an annual inflation rate — the headline gauge tracked by the Bank of England — and a month-on-month price change that is not seasonally adjusted.

The annual rate is affected by factors that occurred a year earlier, while the monthly figure is largely disregarded given seasonal drivers could be behind changes. As a result, some economists have been calling for a seasonally adjusted monthly estimate.

The move early next year will bring the UK into line with the US, where investors and the media often focus on the adjusted month-on-month rate as it better captures turning points in the economy.

“We will be publishing seasonally adjusted CPI for the first time in the coming months,” an ONS spokesperson said.

“We will give users more detail about these data before publication.“The development comes at a time when the BOE expects inflation to exceed 4% in the first quarter of 2027, double the 2% target. It will give the central bank a better handle on the price pressures consumers are experiencing as officials try to gauge whether the Middle East energy shock is spreading widely across the economy.

An ONS paper said earlier this year that adjusted figures could “provide an additional signal of underlying inflationary pressures and economic trends, aiding in analysis, monetary policy assessment and business planning.”Seasonal adjustment in effect removes the variations that recur every year, such as Christmas in the case of retail sales.

In the case of inflation, the process will smooth out January and July when retailers often discount prices in a bid to clear stock, said Huw Dixon, a professor at Cardiff University. “There’ll also be an April effect because often tax rises typically happen.”