  We analyse the self-consistency of inflation in the Standard Model, where the
Higgs field has a large non-minimal coupling to gravity. We determine the
domain of energies in which this model represents a valid effective field
theory as a function of the background Higgs field. This domain is bounded
above by the cutoff scale which is found to be higher than the relevant
dynamical scales throughout the whole history of the Universe, including the
inflationary epoch and reheating. We present a systematic scheme to take into
account quantum loop corrections to the inflationary calculations within the
framework of effective field theory. We discuss the additional assumptions that
must be satisfied by the ultra-violet completion of the theory to allow
connection between the parameters of the inflationary effective theory and
those describing the low-energy physics relevant for the collider experiments.
A class of generalisations of inflationary theories with similar properties is
constructed.
