The Bank of England has announced that it will undertake the first major redesign of its banknotes in 50 years, choosing a new theme based on public feedback.
Banknotes issued by the Bank of England have featured notable historical figures since 1970, when William Shakespeare became the first person other than the monarch to appear on a banknote.
For the first time since then, other themes are being considered for the next series of £5, £10, £20, and £50 notes.
The Bank of England said it is considering the following potential themes for its next series of notes:
- notable historical figures
- nature
- architecture and landmarks
- arts, culture and sport
- noteworthy milestones
- innovation
The British public is invited to share their feedback on which theme they would prefer to see on the next series of banknotes or to suggest their own theme.
The chosen theme, or multiple themes, will feature across all of the next denominations issued by the Bank of England, and a portrait of the monarch will still be included.
A public consultation on the new theme for the next run of British banknotes will remain open until 11:59pm on 31 July 2025.
“We may not select the theme that receives the most votes because we will also assess how each theme meets our criteria, the range of images available to the Bank to depict that theme and feedback from focus groups and other stakeholders,” the Bank of England said.
“We may for example decide to use a combination of the above themes or others put forward by the public.”
Have your say on the theme for the next series of British banknotes on the Bank of England website.
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