Retail Price Index (FOI)

Request

I recently looked at the last Jersey cost of living which showed 3.5% and now find it at 2.9%! This drop of 0.6% is minimal in the overall scheme of things, but 0.6% of 3.5% is a large %?

A

Can you task the Statistics department or whoever is responsible to warrant such a large drop in the cost of living index for this year and also for the past five years to show the percentages throughout each year and then the final one which curiously seems to drop?

B

Can it also be explained why the cost of housing and rent is not included in the cost of living as there are one of the most expensive outlays for anyone?

Response

A

Information is publicly available on www.gov.je and opendata.gov.je.

Article 23 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 has therefore been applied.

Retail prices index (inflation) (gov.je)

B 

The All-Items Retail Prices Index (RPI) does include the costs of housing and rent. They are included within the Housing group. The individual group indices are also available on opendata.gov.je. Article 23 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 has therefore been applied.

Inflation (RPI, RPIX, RPI pensioners, RPI low income) - RPI group indices from March 2000 onwards - Government of Jersey Open Data

Article applied

Article 23 - Information accessible to applicant by other means

(1) Information is absolutely exempt information if it is reasonably available to the applicant, otherwise than under this Law, whether or not free of charge.

(2) A scheduled public authority that refuses an application for information on this ground must make reasonable efforts to inform the applicant where the applicant may obtain the information.