The Bank of England is making plans to swap out historical figures on banknotes in favor of animals selected by the public. Instead of featuring Sir Winston Churchill on the £5 note, Jane Austen on the £10, JMW Turner on the £20, and Alan Turing on the £50, the new banknotes will showcase wildlife native to the UK. Options include a dolphin, fox, butterfly, owl, bumblebee, and shark.
The upcoming banknote series will maintain the monarch’s presence on one side while introducing the chosen animals on the other side in the coming years. The selection process categorizes the animals into three groups, ensuring a diverse representation of species and habitats on each banknote.
Members of the public are invited to participate in the consultation by selecting up to two animals from each category until July 3. Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey will make the final decision, considering public feedback.
The Bank is specifically seeking input from UK residents and British citizens abroad. Submissions can be made through the Bank’s website or by post, with the consultation results expected by the end of 2026.
Victoria Cleland, Chief Cashier at the Bank of England, expressed enthusiasm for the public’s engagement in choosing the animals for the new banknotes. She highlighted the diverse wildlife in the UK that the shortlisted animals represent.
Banknotes in the UK have traditionally featured historical figures since 1970, with the current series introduced in 2016 with Sir Winston Churchill on the £5 note. Despite the rise of payment technologies like contactless and mobile wallets, cash remains a popular payment method for approximately one in seven individuals, with the total amount in circulation reaching £91.5 billion by February 2026.