UK Wildlife Banknotes: Four Animals and What Comes Next
Currency Update
A puffin, an owl, a bumblebee and a hedgehog are heading for the next Bank of England banknotes. The animals have been selected, but the new notes are still being developed. You will not find this wildlife series in circulation yet.
The Bank's October 8, 2026 announcement answers the question of which animals will appear. For anyone who uses or handles cash, the more interesting story is how those images could help people recognize denominations and check their notes.
Which four animals were chosen?
Nearly half a million responses were submitted to the wildlife consultation. The selected animals are:
| Animal | Why it was selected |
|---|---|
| Atlantic puffin | The most popular marine animal on the shortlist, bringing a coastal environment into the series. |
| Barn owl | The leading choice in the birds category. |
| Buff-tailed bumblebee | The leading choice in the amphibians, insects and fish category. |
| European hedgehog | The leading choice in the mammals category. |
The Bank balanced public preferences with visual variety. The Bank's imagery advisory group minutes explain that the puffin added a marine setting that a fox or kingfisher would not provide. The group also considered how different animals and habitats could help people tell denominations apart.
Which animal goes on each denomination?
That has not been announced. The four animals will become the main images across the £5, £10, £20 and £50 notes, but their individual assignments will be disclosed closer to launch.
The series will retain a portrait of the monarch. Other natural imagery may appear alongside the main animals, so the selection announcement should not be treated as a complete view of the finished designs.
Why wildlife matters to banknote design
A recognizable animal gives a designer a shape, a pattern and a way of moving to work with. The Bank's design consultation explains that animals' natural forms and movements could be linked to intuitive security features.
The published design goals do not yet provide a note-by-note checking guide. Wait for the Bank's final illustrations and checking instructions before turning them into staff training.
There are also familiar elements to preserve. The Bank plans to keep the existing sizes and overall color schemes, and to continue incorporating tactile features for accessibility.
For cash handlers, the useful idea is that a banknote has several jobs at once: it must be recognizable, distinguishable from other denominations and checkable. Attractive artwork is one part of that design challenge. Recognizing an animal alone will not authenticate a note.
When will the new banknotes enter circulation?
The October announcement says the first denomination is expected over the next few years. It gives no exact release date or first denomination, and it does not announce a simultaneous launch of all four notes.
Design, security research, accessibility work, testing and production still have to be completed. Follow the Bank's next-series updates for the issue schedule and official designs as they become available.
What happens to the notes people use now?
The Bank's current-banknotes page still lists the circulating polymer £5, £10, £20 and £50 notes. Versions showing Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles III circulate together.
The Charles III notes introduced in 2024 changed the portrait while retaining the existing designs. The future wildlife series is a separate redesign. The animal announcement should therefore not be read as an instruction to exchange the current polymer notes in your wallet.
One scope detail also matters: this announcement concerns Bank of England notes. Banks in Scotland and Northern Ireland issue their own notes, whose designs are not the Bank of England's responsibility. The official explanation of those issuers sets out that distinction.
A useful next step for businesses
For businesses that handle pounds, keep today's staff training tied to the notes currently circulating. When the new series approaches release, update training from the official images and checking instructions for each denomination.
If you use banknote-processing equipment, confirm support for the new series with your supplier when model-specific information becomes available. Keeping the same dimensions does not establish compatibility, and this announcement is not a reason on its own to replace a machine.
Watch for three practical details next: the animal-to-denomination assignments, issue dates and official checking guides. Together, those will turn a design announcement into a useful preparation plan.
For background on U.S. currency, explore NUCOUN's guide to what U.S. dollar bills are made of.
Official information checked October 26, 2026. Business preparation suggestions are NUCOUN editorial guidance; the next series has not yet entered circulation.