Labour Research February 2009

News

Inflation falls once more

Cuts in mortgage interest rates and falling petrol prices slashed December’s inflation rate as measured by the RPI Retail Prices Index. It dropped to 0.9% from November’s 3% rate. The 70% fall was the largest for almost 50 years.

Under the Consumer Prices Index (CPI), which excludes housing costs and is the government’s preferred measure, it was down to 3.1% from 4.1%, helped by the 2.5% cut in VAT.