Bank of England to feature wildlife on £5‑£50 notes
Get the Energy newsletter
Daily energy & climate — solar, EVs, oil, the policy fights and tech bets shaping the transition. Free.
- Bank of England announced that native British wildlife will appear on the next £5, £10, £20 and £50 notes, though the exact species have not yet been selected.
- Nigel Farage and Ed Davey have tried to stir controversy over replacing Winston Churchill and Jane Austen with wildlife, yet public consultations show a majority favor the wildlife designs.
- Panel of experts comprising wildlife broadcasters and academics will create a shortlist, and the public will vote on the final choices later this summer.
- Tony Juniper of Natural England suggested featuring extinct species that have been reintroduced, such as the white‑tailed eagle, large blue butterfly and lady’s slipper orchid.
- RSPCA called for inclusion of less‑celebrated species like the feral pigeon, fox, herring gull and brown rat.
- Chris Packham nominated the red fox for the £5 note, while Lucy Lapwing, Isabella Tree and Hannah Bourne‑Taylor put forward a common toad for £10, a beaver for £20, and a swift for £50 respectively.
Why it matters: The wildlife redesign gives the Bank a new anti‑counterfeiting tool, while giving conservation groups a high‑profile platform; public consultations show strong support, and a panel of experts will shortlist candidates for a summer vote, shifting cultural representation away from historic figures like Churchill and Austen.
