Fuel and lighting costs fall

Inflation figures released by government

The government says fuel and lighting costs fell by 9.5 per cent over the past year, according to its retail prices index.

Releasing its latest inflation figures today, the Cabinet Office’s economic affairs division says the CPI rate fell further into negative territory in December: down to -1.6 per cent from -1.2 per cent in November.

The Retail Prices Index, meanwhile, stayed level at 2.3 per cent in December.

The largest rise on the CPI was education, up 4.5 per cent, while the biggest fall came in transport.