The Bank of England has announced that the Atlantic puffin, barn owl, buff-tailed bumblebee, and European hedgehog will feature on its next series of banknotes.
The July 2025 theme consultation received over 44,000 responses and in March 2026, the Bank announced that nature had been chosen as the theme for the next series of banknotes. Nature is taking over British currency. After decades of featuring historical figures, the Bank of England is redesigning its banknotes to showcase native wildlife.
Public Vote Decides Four Wildlife Species for British Banknotes
The public consultation ran for a month and received 478,531 responses, marking the highest engagement the Bank has ever recorded for a banknote imagery consultation. Participants placed 2,549,003 individual selections across an 18-animal shortlist compiled by a panel of UK wildlife experts.
The shortlist covered three distinct categories: mammals, birds, and amphibians, insects, and fish.
- Amphibians, insects and fish: The buff-tailed bumblebee dominated the entire consultation, pulling in 360,399 votes.
While the top vote-getters in land categories secured their spots easily, the Atlantic puffin entered the final quartet despite finishing behind other birds in raw nominations. Officials selected the seabird anyway to ensure a marine representative added visual variety and celebrated the British coastline.
Replacing Winston Churchill and Historical Icons on British Money
The upcoming series marks a historic break with tradition. Since 1970, Bank of England notes have showcased notable historical figures who shaped national thought, innovation, and leadership. The first of the current series has been in circulation since 2016, when the £5 note was issued.
| Denomination | Current Figure | Design Shift |
|---|---|---|
| £5 | Sir Winston Churchill | Transitioning to Wildlife |
| £10 | Jane Austen | Transitioning to Wildlife |
| £20 | JMW Turner | Transitioning to Wildlife |
| £50 | Alan Turing | Transitioning to Wildlife |
The Bank aims to stop counterfeiting by regularly updating visual imagery and security features across all denominations over time. Despite dropping historical figures from the reverse sides, a portrait of the monarch will remain on the front of every note.
“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, Bank of England Chief Cashier
Design, Testing, and Rollout Timeline for the New Banknotes
Holders of current British currency will not see the animal designs in circulation anytime soon. Incoming chief cashier Rhys Phillips, who takes over the role on October 19, 2026, noted that the process requires years of materials science research, engraving work, and security integration.
“We’ll now work to design, test and produce the banknotes, combining the imagery we’ve announced today with cutting-edge security features and materials science.”
Rhys Phillips, incoming Chief Cashier
Those pairings, alongside any secondary natural elements or additional shortlisted creatures incorporated into the final layouts, will be revealed closer to the launch date.