Bank of England selects four native animals to replace historical figures on cash

Selection of native wildlife

The Bank of England announced on 8 October 2026 that the Atlantic puffin, barn owl, buff-tailed bumblebee, and European hedgehog will appear on the next series of British banknotes. The decision followed a public consultation in June that drew responses from nearly 500,000 participants choosing among 18 candidate species. That shortlist was compiled alongside a panel of British wildlife experts across three formal classifications: mammals, birds, and amphibians, insects and fish. The buff-tailed bumblebee secured the largest total number of responses across the entire consultation, while the barn owl and European hedgehog led voting in the bird and mammal categories respectively.

To reflect varied habitats across the United Kingdom and celebrate the British coastline, the central bank opted to include a marine animal on the roster. The Atlantic puffin secured that place with 183,137 votes, despite two land animals recording higher individual tallies. The red fox attracted 244,651 nominations in the mammal category, while the common kingfisher received 211,277 votes in the bird category. Bank officials confirmed that while the four selected animals will serve as central figures, supplementary natural elements and other shortlisted species may appear in supporting background artwork.

Phase-out of historical figures

The wildlife series marks an end to a tradition dating back to 1970, when the central bank began placing notable figures from national history on the reverse of paper money. The transition will start with the five-pound note, where wartime prime minister Winston Churchill has appeared since 2016. Successive rollouts will phase out novelist Jane Austen from the ten-pound denomination, painter JMW Turner from the twenty-pound denomination, and mathematician Alan Turing from the fifty-pound denomination.

The initial announcement in March 2026 to drop historical personalities prompted objections from British politicians across party lines, who expressed anger over proposals to replace figures such as Churchill with creatures like otters or badgers. The change also prompted speculation that the institution sought to avoid controversies surrounding historical figures. Bank administrators argued the new thematic direction would make denominations easier to distinguish while maintaining security. The front of each denomination will continue to carry the reigning monarch, King Charles III, and banknotes featuring the late Queen Elizabeth II will remain legal tender. Bank of England chief cashier Victoria Cleland welcomed the level of public participation in the survey.

I am delighted that nearly half a million people responded to our wildlife imagery consultation, showing that cash still matters.

Production timeline and payment patterns

Bank of England officials emphasized that the four animals have not yet been assigned to specific denominations, with pairings to be decided in due course. The full technical process of designing, testing, and manufacturing the notes will span several years before the first denomination enters circulation. Rhys Phillips, the incoming head of banknote issuance at the central bank, detailed the forthcoming industrial stages.

We will now begin the design, testing and production of the banknotes, combining the visuals announced today with advanced security features and the latest advances in materials science.

The production schedule unfolds as cash usage across Britain continues to decrease relative to digital transactions. Cash accounted for under 10% of total payment volume in 2024, down from previous decades following widespread adoption of contactless cards and smartphones during the pandemic. However, banking association UK Finance projects that the contraction in physical tender will level off rather than reach zero, sustained by consumers who prefer physical notes for daily budgeting.