Most of us think about money every day. But how many of us know how it actually works?

Every morning, someone unassumingly types numbers into a spreadsheet, hits enter and creates millions of pounds. Somewhere deep underground, a machine most of us will never see props up the entire British economy. And hidden in a vault nearby are individual banknotes worth £100 million each. These are just some of the surprising truths about how money works.

The Bank of England know more about the money system than most – after all, it is their job to keep it running smoothly. Now, for the first time, two of its economists take you deep into their vaults to tell you the inside story of money.

They explain how ordinary banks are able to create money from scratch, and what stops that descending into chaos. They explore what causes inflation and why one country tried to solve rising prices by asking its citizens to cut all banknotes in half. They uncover how a baby hippo briefly became a global currency, and what that says about the future of money. And they reveal what goes on inside the Bank of England during a banking crisis, and why it means your money is safer now than ever before.

Along the way, they explore how money is changing today – and what new technologies like crypto mean for its future. The result is a lively and surprising guide to how money is supposed to work, what happens when it doesn’t, and where it might be going next.

© Jack Leslie, Rupal Patel and The Bank of England 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026