New polymer £20 enters circulation

[Bob++]

New polymer £20 notes featuring painter Turner (and a lot of security features) enters circulation today. Within a couple of weeks, ATMs will be dispensing the new plastic notes instead of the old paper ones.

 

The BoE has not yet announced when the old notes will cease to be accepted but anyone visiting the UK this year would be well advised to avoid taking any home with them.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-51559349

[jocap]

Forgive my ignorance, but have the paper £5 and £10 finished already? I haven't noticed any for ages.... must search down the back of the settee!

 

[Cotswold Eagle]

9 hours ago, jocap said:

Forgive my ignorance, but have the paper £5 and £10 finished already? I haven't noticed any for ages.... must search down the back of the settee!

 

Yes, in 2017 and 2018 respectively! 

[Globaliser]

12 hours ago, jocap said:

Forgive my ignorance, but have the paper £5 and £10 finished already? I haven't noticed any for ages.... must search down the back of the settee!

 

For nostalgia, or identification purposes, the BoE has a useful page: https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/banknotes/withdrawn-banknotes

 

I actually paid some paper £10 notes and old £20 notes into my bank account a few weeks back, having found a stash of cash in a drawer at home. So searching is not a bad idea.

[Bob++]

It will probably be some time in 2022 before the paper £20 notes cease to be 'legal tender' but, as usual, banks and post offices will exchange them for a while after that, even if you don't have an account.

 

Anyone who doesn't have a UK bank account, who finds a few old style £10 or £5 notes should pop them into an envelope and post them to a UK based charity of their choice.

[dani negreanu]

Thanks for the heads up!

 

I have to admit that this quick "renovation" of British banknotes is "tough" on tourists like me, who visit UK once in 3-4 years, and find themselves unable to use old banknotes....

 

Hope to be in London again in a month time, and will get rid of the "old" 20 banknotes....

[geoherb]

Thanks for the heads up. I just checked our leftover bills and they're all polymer fives and tens. Our ship missed going to Portland, which is why I ended up with more leftover British cash than intended. When I got the cash from my bank before our last cruise, I made sure that I was getting just the current notes and not outdated ones.