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Full Breakdown

Bank of England to Feature Native Wildlife on Future Banknotes

By Drooid · Oct 8, 2026, 5:42 AM UTC · How we work

Core Announcement

On October 8, the Bank of England announced that four native animals—the Atlantic puffin, barn owl, buff-tailed bumblebee and European hedgehog—will appear on the next series of £5, £10, £20 and £50 notes, replacing historic figures such as Winston Churchill, Jane Austen, J.M.W. Turner and Alan Turing.

Background & Context

Since 1970, Bank of England notes have carried portraits of notable Britons. The current series, introduced in 2016, still features those figures alongside the monarch. Cash usage in the United Kingdom has fallen to under 10 % of payments in 2024, prompting the central bank to seek ways to keep physical cash relevant.

Public Consultation

The consultation opened on June 3 and ran for one month. Nearly half a million members of the public participated, making more than 2.5 million individual selections from a shortlist of 18 native animals. The four winning species topped their respective categories: the buff-tailed bumblebee (most popular overall), the barn owl (birds), the European hedgehog (mammals) and the Atlantic puffin (marine life).

Data & Statistics

Participants: ~500,000.

Selections for winning animals:

Buff-tailed bumblebee – 360,399

Barn owl – 270,596

European hedgehog – 259,665

Atlantic puffin – 183,137

Higher-voted alternatives that missed out included the red fox (244,651 selections) and the common kingfisher (211,277).

Official Statements & Responses

Bank of England chief cashier Victoria Cleland said the consultation demonstrated that “cash still matters” and that the wildlife imagery would enhance note security.

The Bank also confirmed that the monarch’s portrait will remain on all notes.

Why It Matters

The wildlife theme is intended to make future notes more distinctive and harder to counterfeit, addressing security concerns as cash volumes shrink. By featuring animals from diverse habitats, the Bank hopes to aid public recognition of denominations, supporting accessibility for those who continue to rely on cash.

Conflicting Reports & Gaps

No source provides the final assignment of each animal to a specific denomination, and the timeline for design finalisation remains unspecified.

Verbatim Quotes

“With their support, we have chosen four distinct and inspiring animals that not only showcase the great variety of wildlife we have in the UK but will also enhance the security of our banknotes.” — Victoria Cleland, chief cashier

What's Next

The Bank of England will continue design, testing and production phases over the coming years and will announce the specific animal-denomination pairings closer to the launch date.