Britain should celebrate the low inflation rate and not be frightened by it, Chancellor George Osborne is to insist.
He will say the slump in the headline rate to just 0.5% is due to external factors - and the benefits for consumers should be welcomed.
The comments, in a speech to the Royal Economic Society on Wednesday, come as Mr Osborne and Bank of England governor Mark Carney seek to calm nerves over the issue.
The Consumer Prices Index (CPI) hit its joint lowest level in December, thanks mainly to cheaper food and petrol.
Economists said the continued plunge in the oil price meant it was likely to fall further and a brief period of negative inflation was "not entirely out of the question".
Mr Carney - who is due before the Treasury Select Committee later - has conceded deflation is now "possible", but insists Britain has the tools to deal with it.
Mr Osborne is expected to say: "The low inflation we see here in the UK is much more welcome than in the eurozone where inflation has been very low for some time and is now negative.
"There the debate has understandably turned to the dangers of deflation - the risk of a self-reinforcing spiral where economic activity falters, consumers defer purchases as prices fall and nominal debt burdens become ever harder to manage."
Mr Osborne will suggest the European Central Bank's inflation target could be changed so it is obliged to take action when inflation is below 2% - as well as above it.
"In the UK our system is well equipped to deal with negative inflation shocks just as it dealt with the surge in commodity prices in 2010 and 2011," he will say.
He will add: "Of course we will always remain vigilant to ensure that inflation is low for the right reasons.
"But we should not confuse this welcome news for Britain's households as a result of falling oil prices with the threat of damaging deflation that we see in the eurozone.
"Rising real incomes, a recovery spreading to all parts of our economy, and family budgets that can stretch that little bit further - let's celebrate these effects of low inflation, not fear them."
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