Bank of England picks four animals for notes

On October 8, 2026 the Bank of England named the Atlantic puffin, barn owl, buff-tailed bumblebee and European hedgehog for its next banknotes, replacing over time the Churchill £5, Austen £10, Turner £20 and Turing £50. A consultation on an 18-animal June 2026 shortlist drew 478,531 responses and 2,549,003 selections, the highest for a Bank banknote imagery consultation. The buff-tailed bumblebee led with 360,399 votes, followed by the barn owl and European hedgehog. Red foxes and common kingfishers outpolled the puffin, which the Bank included for marine representation. The monarch stays on the front of every note. Victoria Cleland said the Bank has chosen animals that showcase UK wildlife and will enhance banknote security, and that she is delighted nearly half a million people responded, showing cash still matters. Rhys Phillips, who becomes chief cashier on October 19, 2026, said the Bank will now design, test and produce the notes with cutting-edge security features and materials science. Nature was announced as the theme in March 2026. UK Finance said under 10% of UK payments were cash in 2024 and expects the decline to level off. CONTESTED: none found in record. Sources report the March 2026 move from historical figures dismayed politicians across the political spectrum.