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Gilts, Index-Linked, and Undated Government Bonds

Gilt, gilt-edged, conventional gilt, index-linked gilt, consol, long bond, and undated government bond terms.

Gilts, index-linked, and undated government bonds are government-debt labels used for U.K. and related sovereign-bond contexts.

Use this branch when issuer market, inflation linkage, long maturity, or no-final-maturity structure changes the analysis.

Key Terms in This Branch

TermWhat it clarifies
GiltU.K. government bond context.
Gilt-Edged SecurityA historical or descriptive label for high-quality government debt.
Conventional GiltsGilts with conventional nominal cash flows.
Index-Linked GiltA gilt linked to an inflation index.
ConsolA historical undated government debt term.
Long BondA long-maturity bond label.
Undated Government BondGovernment debt without a conventional final maturity date.

For stripped gilt cash-flow claims, use Treasury STRIPS, Zero-Coupon Securities, and Receipts.

Common Mistakes

  • Comparing index-linked and conventional gilts without inflation assumptions.
  • Treating undated debt like a normal maturity bond.
  • Ignoring currency and tax treatment for non-U.K. investors.
  • Assuming historical terms map cleanly to current market instruments.

In this section

Choose a subsection first. Deeper term pages live inside each subsection, which keeps large topic hubs readable.

Consol

A consol is a perpetual government bond that pays interest indefinitely without a fixed principal repayment date.

Conventional Gilts

Standard UK government bonds that pay periodic interest and return the principal at maturity.

Gilt

A gilt is a UK government bond used to finance public borrowing and benchmark sterling interest-rate markets.

Gilt-Edged Security

A gilt-edged security is a high-quality government bond, especially a UK gilt, associated with low default risk and benchmark status.

Index-Linked Gilt

An index-linked gilt is a UK government security that adjusts interest and principal payments in line with inflation, offering protection against inflationary risks.

Long Bond

A long bond is a long-maturity debt security, often referring to a 30-year government or corporate bond.

Undated Government Bond

An undated government bond has no fixed maturity date, so valuation depends on coupon income, redemption terms, and long-rate assumptions.

Revised on Sunday, June 21, 2026