The UK’s inflation rate fell for the first time since September as retailers cut prices to revive sales hit by last month’s cold weather.

The rate, as measured by the Consumer Prices Index, fell from 0.5% in the year to March to 0.3% last month.

A drop in the cost of clothing and footwear were among the main causes for the decline, as well as the falling price of airfares, vehicles and social housing rents, according to The Office for National Statistics.

These downward pressures were partially offset by rising food prices, which were unchanged between March and April 2016, having fallen between the same two months a year ago.

From late 2015 the inflation rate began to increase gradually, reaching 0.5% in March after being close to zero for most of 2015.

Last month’s lower rate of 0.3% means that a basket of goods and services that cost £100 in April 2015 would have cost £100.30 in April 2016.