Bank of England wants to hear from North Devon people about cost of living
The Bank of England wants to hear from North Devon people at Citizens’ Forum event in Torrington on June 30
People in North Devon are invited to attend a special Bank of England event in Torrington this June to have their say on the cost of living and how it is affecting them.
The Citizens’ Forum event on Tuesday, June 30 runs from 6pm to 8pm and will give people opportunity to share their views with a panel of senior bank officials supported by staff from the Bank’s Agency for the South West.
Entry is via pre-registration for forum members only, but anyone aged 18 and over can register for free via the link below, before the closing date of Tuesday, June 16.
Refreshments will be provided and the Bank of England will make a payment of £25 to all attendees to cover expenses.
Those attending will be asked about the impact of the cost of living on their finances, as well as their preferred payment methods, including their use of banknotes.
The Bank of England says the event is designed to gather information from local people, which will complement existing data and analysis and help inform its policy decisions.
In a press statement, it said: “Monetary policy has been guided by the need to squeeze inflation out of the economy to achieve the two per cent target, both in a timely manner and on a lasting basis. High inflation has affected everyone, but it particularly hurts those who can least afford it.
“War in the Middle East has led to energy price rises and inflation will be higher than expected this year. We are monitoring the situation very closely and at the April meeting the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) maintained Bank Rate at 3.75 per cent.”
The Citizens' Forum was launched in 2018 to improve engagement with members of the public.
The forum consists of about 4,500 people from across the UK. Joining allows people to put their views directly to the Bank of England. It is also an opportunity for them to ask questions of senior bank staff about its policies.
People who join the forum will receive the bank’s monthly e-newsletter, information on upcoming events and the chance to share their views and give feedback.
There are around 12 panel events held across the UK every year so a visit to North Devon is quite rare. Each session typically hosts 30 to 40 people.
To join the Bank of England Citizens’ Forum and register to attend the Torrington event on June 30, please CLICK HERE. Registration must be made before June 16.
Alternatively, visit https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/about/get-involved/citizens-panels