BANK OF ENGLAND ASKS PUBLIC TO CHOOSE WILDLIFE FOR NEW BANKNOTES

The Bank of England has launched a public consultation to select native UK wildlife for the next series of banknotes. Members of the public can vote on animals from a shortlist compiled with guidance from a panel of wildlife experts across the UK. Each of the four denominations — £5, £10, £20 and £50 — will feature a different animal as its central image. The consultation runs until 3 July, with voters able to select up to two examples from each of three categories covering different species and environments.

The redesign forms part of a broader programme announced in July 2025 to increase counterfeit resilience on banknotes. In March 2026, the Bank announced that nature and wildlife would be the theme for the new series, following a public consultation in which this option received the highest proportion of nominations. The Bank has stated that the four animals chosen must be easily distinguishable from one another and representative of different UK environments. Additional elements from wildlife and nature will complement the central images on each note.

Andrew Bailey, Governor of the Bank of England, will make the final decision on which animals appear on each denomination, taking public feedback into account. The Bank has clarified that it may not necessarily select the four animals receiving the most votes if doing so would not meet design requirements around distinctiveness and environmental representation. No alternative nominations beyond the published shortlist will be accepted during the consultation period.