Bank of England note issues

The Bank of England, which is now the central bank of the United Kingdom, British Crown Dependencies and British Overseas Territories, has issued banknotes since 1694. In 1921 the Bank of England gained a legal monopoly on the issue of banknotes in England and Wales, a process that started with the Bank Charter Act 1844, when the power of other banks to issue notes was restricted. Only the Bank of England can issue banknotes in England and Wales, where its notes are legal tender. They are not legal tender in Scotland and Northern Ireland, but are always accepted there by traders.

Banknotes were originally hand-written; although they were partially printed from 1725 onwards, cashiers still had to sign each note and make them payable to someone. Notes were fully printed from 1855. Since 1970, the Bank of England's notes have featured portraits of British historical figures. The Bank of England now issues notes, all in polymer, in four denominations: £5, £10, £20 and £50. In March 2026, the Bank announced that British wildlife and British birds are set to feature on the next series of notes.