What is the official currency of the United Kingdom?

The official currency of the United Kingdom is the pound sterling. Its currency symbol is £, and its international ISO code is GBP.

Sterling is one of the world's oldest currencies still in continuous use. The modern pound is divided into 100 pence, with coins commonly issued from 1p through £2. Banknotes in England and Wales are issued by the Bank of England, while authorised banks also issue notes in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

A common mix-up is calling the currency simply “the pound.” That is acceptable in everyday British usage, but “pound sterling” or “British pound” makes clear that the question concerns the UK's currency rather than another currency also called a pound, such as the Egyptian or Lebanese pound. The euro is not the UK's official currency, although it is widely used in nearby European countries.