Core Purposes - Monetary Stability
Price stability and monetary policy
The first objective of any central bank is to safeguard the value of the currency in terms of what it will purchase at home and in terms of other currencies. Monetary policy is directed to achieving this objective and to providing a framework for non-inflationary economic growth. As in most other developed countries, monetary policy operates in the UK mainly through influencing the price of money, in other words the interest rate.
The Bank's price stability objective is made explicit in the present monetary policy framework. It has two main elements: an annual inflation target set each year by the Government and a commitment to an open and accountable policy-making regime.Setting monetary policy - deciding on the level of short-term interest rates necessary to meet the Government's inflation target - is the responsibility of the Bank. In May 1997 the Government gave the Bank operational independence to set monetary policy by deciding the short-term level of interest rates to meet the Government's stated inflation target - currently 2%.
Key Resources
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Letter to the Governor from the Chancellor Remit for the Monetary Policy Committee, March 2007 Download PDF (160k) |
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The Bank of England Act 1998 Download PDF (99k) |
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The New Inflation Target |
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The New Inflation Target Webcast - Highlights of speech by Governor |
