UK inflation rate falls to 4.2% due to cheaper petrol

The rate of Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation in the UK fell to 4.2% in December, down from 4.8% the month before, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Retail Prices Index (RPI) inflation, which includes mortgage interest payments, fell to 4.8% from 5.2%.

The drop in the CPI rate was the biggest monthly fall since April 2009, and the lowest rate since June 2011.

Phil Gooding is a senior statistician at the Office for National Statistics says the main downward effect came from petrol prices.