LONDON, Sept. 16 (UPI) -- Inflation in August jumped more than expectations in Britain, reaching 4.7 percent, the Office for National Statistics said.

Analysts had predicted a jump to 4.5-4.6 percent, The Times of London reported Tuesday.

The figure, however, is more than the Bank of England's 2 percent target, which will prompt a letter from the bank Gov. Mervyn King to Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling. The letters are required whenever inflation runs 1 percent or more more than the bank's target.

The ONS said food costs rose 1.3 percent in August but rose 13 percent compared to August 2007.

In the month, electricity prices jumped 4.3 percent as core inflation, which excludes food and energy costs, rose 2 percent, matching the highest rate of core inflation in 10 years, The Times reported.

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