The purpose of the article is to identify shortcomings and substantiate the directions of the state policy to intensify the development of bank lending in the context of overcoming financial imbalances and ensuring structural reform of the national economy of Ukraine. Methods. The research is based on general scientific methods and approaches, system approach, general logical research methods (analysis, synthesis, generalization and comparison), the method of strategic management. Results. The article shows the conceptual relationship between bank lending to the economy and economic growth along with a structural economic reform. The key indicators of volumes, structure and tendencies of bank lending development, as well as measures of distribution of bank lending to the economy are analysed. Conclusions concerning sufficiency of bank lending for its proper contribution to the development of the real sector of the national economy are made. The current research describes the shortcomings of the structure of Ukraine’s economy formed at the current stage of socio-economic development of the country, which, in fact, are systemic obstacles to the restoration of economic growth and modernization of the social sphere of Ukraine. Strategic directions and means of the state policy for bank lending development are identified. Their implementation is supposed to intensify the bank lending to the economy and the consumer sector, on the one hand, and provide a positive impact of these processes on intensifying structural changes in the national economy, on the other hand. The structural scheme of reforming the institutional and legal mechanism of the state policy for bank lending development in Ukraine has been developed. The expected structural changes in the system of the national economy are determined, on which the development of bank lending in Ukraine is focused. Practical contribution. The implementation of the proposed measures at the level of the National Bank of Ukraine and the Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture of Ukraine will stimulate banks, on the one hand, and businesses, on the other hand, to increase bank lending to the economy, in particular in those sectors having a positive effect on the key structural characteristics of the economy, such as development of strategic industries, de-shadowing, growth of innovation activity, the overall strengthening of the economic competitiveness. Prospects for further research. The obtained results are the basis for modelling and forecasting the implications for the state policy for intensification of bank lending and providing necessary structural changes in the national economy.