Housing and energy costs surge higher in inflation data

* Headline inflation remained steady for January at 3.8 per cent

* Trimmed mean inflation had a slight rise from 3.3 to 3.4 per cent in the year to January

* The Reserve Bank prefers the trimmed mean as a measure of inflation due to it removing volatile price swings

WHAT WERE THE BIG PRICE MOVERS?

* Housing was the largest contributor by sector to inflation, rising 6.8 per cent in January

* Food and non-alcoholic beverages increased by 3.1 per cent while recreation and culture went up by 3.7 per cent

* Electricity costs rose 32.2 per cent in the 12 months to January, compared to a rise of 21.5 per cent in the year to December

* That increase was due to the end of state and federal rebates for power bills

* The Australian Bureau of Statistics said electricity  prices only rose 4.5 per cent in the year to January if the impacts of the government rebates were excluded