Consumer confidence has dipped again in the UK, with Brits’ outlook on the state of the economy dropping for the fifth month in a row.

Public expectations for the economy over the next three months worsened to -37 in February, down from -34 in January.

Brits’ personal financial outlook dropped to -11 in February, down from -4 in January.

“People’s expectations of the economy reached a new low [in January],” Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, said.

“Even Gen Z (18-27), the most upbeat generation on the economy and their own finances, saw a drop off in optimism,” she added.

Women had less confidence than men about both the economy and their own finances, by 13 and 17 points respectively.

“With many businesses warning of the impact that April’s employer national insurance contributions (NICs) increase will have on hiring, and the rising energy price cap pushing up the cost of domestic bills, it is little surprise that many households are worried,” Dickinson added.

Many businesses, particularly in retail and hospitality, have warned that higher taxes in April will have a knock-on negative effect on hiring and investment, with two-thirds of retail CFOs expecting have to raise prices.

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has estimated the combined impact of higher NICs and the Packaging Tax will cost business £4.3bn in total.

UK inflation unexpectedly hit three per cent in January, above the 2.8 per cent expected by City traders.

The figures point to the sticky inflationary risks still facing the UK economy, which may force the Bank of England to cut interest rates more slowly than they had anticipated.

Sticky inflation is unlikely to help consumer confidence, as rising prices erode purchasing power and cause Brits to take a more cautious approach to non-essential purchases.