After 30 September 2022, the Bank of England will no longer recognise the paper £20 and £50 notes as legal tender, and we encourage anyone who has these notes at home to spend them or deposit them at their local bank or Post Office. Solely the Bank of England new polymer notes will be in use after that date.


Approximately £9 billion in paper £20 notes and £15 billion in paper £50 notes remain in circulation, representing a total value of approximately £20 billion. They are being replaced with new polymer £20 notes portraying J.M.W. Turner and polymer £50 notes featuring Alan Turing, which are being returned to the Bank of England at the same time as the old ones. After the 30th of September in 2022, the new polymer notes will be the only ones that have legal tender status in the United States.


Bank customer who have a bank account in the United Kingdom will still be able to deposit withdrew notes into their account after September 30, 2022. Additionally, some Post Offices may take withdrew notes as payment for products and services, or as a deposit into a bank account that may be accessed through the facility.


The Bank of England will continue to exchange all of the notes that have been withdrawn. If you need more information on this, please check our article on exchanging old banknotes.


Sarah John, the Bank of England's Chief Cashier, stated in advance of the date's implementation: "In recent years, we have switched from paper to polymer banknotes since this makes them more difficult to counterfeit and more durable." Polymer £20 banknotes with an image of the artist JMW Turner on them, and polymer £50 banknotes with an image of the scientist Alan Turing on them, are now in widespread circulation, and we are in the process of withdrawing their paper counterparts. Consequently, we would like to remind the public that they have one year from today to spend their paper banknotes."


The first polymer £20 note was issued on February 20, 2020, and the first polymer £50 note was issued on June 23, 2021, both in the United Kingdom. The Bank of England's first polymer series comes to a close with the release of these notes. In addition, the introduction of polymer banknotes allows for the adoption of a new generation of security measures, which make them even more difficult to forge. The notes are also more resistant to dirt and moisture, which allows them to remain in better condition for a longer period of time. These notes also have haptic elements that make them accessible to people who are blind or partially sighted.