Four animals will become the faces of the next generation of Bank of England notes: the Atlantic puffin, barn owl, buff-tailed bumblebee and European hedgehog. The Bank confirmed the choices on 8 October 2026 following a consultation involving 478,531 respondents. The announcement does not mean that the notes are in circulation or that today's £5, £10, £20 and £50 notes must be exchanged. Design, security testing and manufacturing will take years, and the allocation of the four animals to particular denominations has not yet been announced. Here is what cash users, businesses and collectors actually need to know.
Which animals have been selected?
The Bank chose four forms of wildlife found in the United Kingdom: a barn owl, buff-tailed bumblebee, European hedgehog and Atlantic puffin. They represent different kinds of wildlife and are intended to make denominations visually distinct. The bumblebee was especially popular with voters, while the puffin adds a coastal marine bird to the group. Each animal has a scientific species name, and the official announcement lists them. It would be inaccurate to claim that a particular bird or mammal is already assigned to the £5 or £20 note: those allocations have not yet been settled.
Do the new banknotes exist yet?
No final circulation date was announced on 8 October. The Bank says that research, detailed engraving, testing, manufacture and the release process will take several years. Announcement of the animal selection is one stage in a broader design project, not the launch of a finished note. Images circulating online may therefore be mock-ups or illustrations rather than an authentic design. Before treating a photograph as genuine, look for a matching announcement on the Bank of England website. Retailers and customers do not need to prepare an overnight switch to a new set of banknotes.
What will happen to the current notes?
The current legal-tender polymer notes continue to be used under the normal rules unless the Bank makes a separate formal announcement about a withdrawal. Nothing in the wildlife decision instructs people to exchange their money now. If an eventual withdrawal timetable is announced, it should include clear dates and official guidance on exchanging older notes. Avoid social-media posts that pressure you to send money or pay a fee to reserve new designs. For ordinary purchases, verify current acceptance rules rather than relying on an unverified claim that banknotes bearing Winston Churchill, Jane Austen, JMW Turner or Alan Turing have suddenly become invalid.
Why replace historical figures with nature?
The current series features historical figures on the reverse. The Bank's consultation found strong public support for nature and wildlife as a new theme. A design change also offers opportunities to add more recognisable anti-counterfeiting elements. That does not mean the achievements of earlier figures are being erased from history; it is a policy choice about the imagery on a future cash product. Reactions differ: some welcome broader representation of the natural world, while others prefer human figures associated with culture and science. Those views can be discussed without implying that a banknote redesign changes school curricula or public monuments.
Will the monarch still appear?
Yes. The Bank has explicitly stated that the next series will continue to feature a portrait of the monarch. The wildlife will be the central reverse images, while the overall designs may incorporate other natural motifs. The Bank also intends to consider accessibility when finalising denominations. This matters for people who are blind or partially sighted and need reliable ways to distinguish notes by feel or format. Colours and sizes are expected to remain broadly familiar according to the Bank's explanation. But final artwork and features should be judged only once the Bank publishes official versions.
How did the public consultation work?
The Bank published a shortlist of eighteen animals across categories including mammals, birds and other wildlife. Nearly half a million responses were received, with millions of individual preferences expressed because respondents could choose more than one animal. The process sought options that could work together across four denominations. This is why the winning set is not simply a ranking of the four highest single vote totals. The Bank also considered distinctiveness, a balanced range of habitats and the needs of note security. A poll about imagery does not directly determine monetary policy or the value of pounds in circulation.
Why do security features matter?
A genuine banknote needs to remain recognisable while resisting attempts to copy it. Modern notes combine material choices, detailed printing and features that people can examine without specialist equipment. The Bank says it will use the redesign to explore updated counterfeiting safeguards. Wildlife motifs offer complex visual patterns, shapes and textures that could support this task, although specific future security details are not final. Shoppers should keep using official guidance for checking current notes and should never treat a convincing online photograph of a future design as proof that a banknote offered for sale is genuine.
Are £5, £10, £20 and £50 all affected?
The Bank is preparing new imagery for all four major Bank of England denominations. Exactly which animal belongs to which value will be announced later. That means internet charts assigning the owl to £10 or the hedgehog to £5 should be considered speculative unless accompanied by a direct Bank source. Scottish and Northern Irish issuing banks have their own note designs and procedures; today's announcement specifically concerns the next Bank of England series. Businesses handling cash across the UK will ultimately need clear information from the relevant issuing institutions before any operational change.
Can collectors buy an official wildlife set today?
No approved circulating wildlife series was announced as available for sale. A collector might see privately printed concept art, memorabilia or pre-order advertisements, but those are not proof that an official note has been issued. The safest approach is to wait for announcements from the Bank of England and authorised outlets. Be wary of anyone asking for an advance transfer to secure 'rare first prints' years before a release. Collector value is not automatic either: a new design might be widely issued, and market premiums depend on condition, scarcity and genuine demand. Avoid relying on unverified investment promises.
What does this mean for cash users?
The practical answer is little immediate change. Keep using legitimate current notes, follow familiar checks against counterfeits and obtain future information from the central bank rather than forwarded messages. Cash remains important for people who rely on it for budgeting, accessibility or resilience when digital systems are unavailable. The Bank has said both confidence and usability are priorities for the next series. A future note should be easy to recognise, durable and difficult to copy, but exact release logistics are unknown. Businesses can bookmark the Bank's banknotes information rather than attempting an early equipment upgrade.
Which four animals should you remember?
The barn owl is a distinctive nocturnal bird, the buff-tailed bumblebee a familiar pollinator, the hedgehog a small terrestrial mammal, and the Atlantic puffin a seabird associated with Britain's coastline. Those straightforward descriptions help people remember the selected set without inventing finished designs. They also explain why the Bank wanted variety: four markedly different silhouettes should be easier to distinguish than four similar subjects. The selection does not imply that the animals' conservation status is identical or that the Bank is launching a wildlife conservation programme alongside new notes.
Key questions answered
Can I exchange my old notes today for wildlife notes? There is no released wildlife series to exchange into. Have the £5–£50 assignments been confirmed? No. When will new notes arrive? The Bank expects the process to take several years, not weeks. Is the King's portrait going away? No. Should shops reject today's notes? Not because of this announcement. The main update on 8 October was the selection of four animal species after a large public consultation. Everything else should be checked against subsequent official announcements.
Sources and further information
Bank of England announcement dated 8 October 2026. Explore further articles under Life.
