Source · National Audit Office

Bank of England’s Real-Time Gross Settlement System Renewal Programme

Published: 12 Dec 2025 Recommendations: 4 Type: Value for Money

The Bank of England successfully navigated complex risks to deliver its Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) renewal programme.

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Recommendations

4 items
Government response pending.

The NAO has not yet recorded a response to these recommendations. This report was published 12 December 2025.

Rec Recommendation Addressee Acceptance Implementation
1
To help maximise the benefits from its management of the renewal programme and implementation of the new RTGS, the Bank should: a)identify mechanisms for applying lessons from the programme to its other digital and business transformation projects to secure change, for example updating internal guidance or review processes;
Ref Page 12, paragraph 25, point a, first bullet point
Bank of England Pending
2
To help maximise the benefits from its management of the renewal programme and implementation of the new RTGS, the Bank should: c)as it manages a more dynamic process of RTGS change, ensure it understands the impact of higher levels of change on all RTGS users, to minimise this where possible; and
Ref Page 12, paragraph 25, point c, third bullet point
Bank of England Pending
3
To help maximise the benefits from its management of the renewal programme and implementation of the new RTGS, the Bank should: b) set out clear plans for ensuring the right investment and resourcing at the right time to keep the system up to date (including for wider Bank services that the RTGS relies on);
Ref Page 12, paragraph 25, point b, second bullet point
Bank of England Pending
4
To help maximise the benefits from its management of the renewal programme and implementation of the new RTGS, the Bank should: d) assess and, where possible, evaluate the effectiveness of potential interventions in widening access and reducing barriers to entry to the RTGS, including the introduction of alternative access routes to Swift, to ensure it puts the optimum mix in place.
Ref Page 12, paragraph 25, point d, fourth bullet point
Bank of England Pending

Public Accounts Committee follow-up

1 report

The Public Accounts Committee examined this NAO report and published its own recommendations. The government responds to PAC recommendations via Treasury Minutes.