The end of the government’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme caused inflation to rise last month, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Prices increased by 0.5 per cent in September, up from 0.2 per cent in August but below forecasts of a 0.6 per cent rise.
Growth was led by restaurants and cafés, where prices rose by 4 per cent between August and September.
Under the Eat Out initiative, the taxpayer picked up 50 per cent of the bill for all meals out, up to £10 per person, during August.
Jonathan Athow, of the ONS, said: “The official end to the scheme meant prices for dining out rose during September, partially offsetting the sharp fall in inflation for August.”
Economists noted that
