The Bank of England announced on Tuesday that UK wildlife will replace historical figures on its next series of banknotes, ending a more than 50-year tradition of featuring portraits such as Winston Churchill, Jane Austen, JMW Turner and Alan Turing on the reverse of £5, £10, £20 and £50 notes.

The decision follows a public consultation held in July 2025 in which nature emerged as the most popular theme from over 44,000 responses. Approximately 60 per cent of respondents selected it as a preferred theme, ahead of architecture and landmarks at 56 per cent, historical figures at 38 per cent, arts, culture and sport at 30 per cent, innovation at 23 per cent, and noteworthy milestones at 19 per cent.

Victoria Cleland, chief cashier at the Bank of England, said: "The key driver for introducing a new banknote series is always to increase counterfeit resilience, but it also provides an opportunity to celebrate different aspects of the UK. Nature is a great choice from a banknote authentication perspective and means we can showcase the UK's rich and varied wildlife."

A panel of six wildlife experts will compile a shortlist of animals native to the UK for a second public consultation planned for this summer. The panel includes wildlife broadcasters Gordon Buchanan, Miranda Krestovnikoff and Nadeem Perera, Ulster Wildlife's Katy Bell, and academics Steve Ormerod of Cardiff University and Dawn Scott of Nottingham Trent University. Household pets will not be considered.

Perera said: "The wildlife of the UK is not separate from our culture. It sits in our football crests, our folklore, our coastlines and our childhoods. Giving it space on something as symbolic as our currency feels both overdue and significant."

The governor of the Bank of England, Andrew Bailey, will make the final selection, though the Bank has indicated it will be several years before new notes enter circulation, given the complexity of designing, testing and printing them at scale. The new series will continue to feature a portrait of the monarch, and representation of the home nations will be a factor in the overall design.

The Bank has faced criticism in the past over representation on its notes. No person who is black or from an ethnic minority background has appeared on a Bank of England banknote since historical figures were first introduced in 1970, and the absence of women from notes – other than Queen Elizabeth II – drew public attention in 2013.

The new notes may incorporate broader natural elements, including plants and landscapes. Wildlife already features on some UK currency: mackerel, otters, red squirrels and osprey appear on notes issued by the Royal Bank of Scotland. The Bank has said it is not accepting imagery suggestions ahead of the summer consultation launch.

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