Key Facts

• The new banknotes will feature the Atlantic puffin, barn owl, buff-tailed bumblebee, and European hedgehog.
• These animals were selected from a shortlist of 18 after a public vote that received over 2.5 million votes from 478,531 people.
• The puffin was chosen to represent marine life and to add variety to the series, despite not having the most votes in its category.
• The animals will appear as the main images on £5, £10, £20, or £50 notes, with the monarch still on the other side.
• This change marks the first time since 1970 that Bank of England notes will not feature notable historical figures like Sir Winston Churchill.
• The new notes will include modern security features and are still in the early design stages.
• The Bank aims to make the notes durable and accessible for all users.
• The decision to replace historical figures has caused criticism from some political leaders.