Fears the UK economy is heading for a period of deflation have increased after the inflation rate dropped to zero for the first time since records began.
Outside analysts have cost the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) £76,885 since June, for work done predominantly on consumer credit.
The UK's headline rate of inflation fell to 2% in December, meeting the government-set target for the first time since November 2009, official figures show.
UK consumer prices index (CPI) inflation remained stable in September at 2.7%.
UK CPI inflation fell from 2.8% to 2.7% in August, in line with economists' expectations, as falling transport costs pushed the headline figure down.
UK CPI inflation rose from 2.7% to 2.9% in June, with the largest upward contributions coming from petrol, clothing and footwear.
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Annuity experts have welcomed the Office of National Statistics' (ONS) surprise decision to keep the current measure of inflation.
After consulting on options for changing Retail Prices Index, the Office for National Statistics has chosen 'none of the above' and proposed a new index to be published in parallel.