Rents, airfares and health insurance premiums all up last month

Rents and home and health insurance premiums continued to rise in February while airfares also rose significantly, according to the last Consumer Price Index.

Prices on average were up 0.5% compared to February 2016, with the most notable changes in transport, hotels and restaurants and health.

Private renting went up 1.2% last month and is now 8.5% more expensive than a year before. Local authority rental remained the same as last month but is up almost 4% from February 2016.