1. Weighted Index Number

6. Retail Price Index What is it used for? Measures of inflation are vital tools for economists, business and government. Wage agreements, pensions and changes in benefit levels are often linked directly to the RPI. How is the RPI calculated? The RPI is often described in terms of a shopping basket containing some 650 goods and services, chosen as indicators of price movements for a range of similar items. Who gathers the prices? Prices are collected in two ways. The local price collection is carried out by a market research firm who collect over 130,000 prices per month. Staff collect a further 10,000 prices centrally each month.

7. Retail Price Index Where are prices collected? Random sampling of locations was introduced in 1995. 150 shopping areas or out of town retail parks areas are selected for the price collection each year. Are all items represented equally? No. The RPI is a weighted index - for example, since most people spend far more on electricity than on processed fruit, a price rise for electricity would have more effect than a similar- sized one for processed fruit. Are all households' spending patterns represented in the RPI? No pensioner households and high-income households are excluded.

8. Retail Price Index

9. Standard Population

13. Standardised Death Rate