The rate of inflation jumped to 3% last month in the blow to hopes of early further interest rate cuts.
The Bank has a target of 2% inflation and rate setters on the its Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) will be uncomfortable with the CPI heading back up towards 3%.
Hikes in water and energy bills in April are likely to keep the inflation rate higher for longer.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed that the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) - the headline measure of inflation - rose from 2.5% in December.
Private school fee rose by 12.7% on the month but did not change a year ago, an increase directly attributed to Labour’s private school fees policy.
