Public asked to help select UK wildlife to appear on new banknote series

Public asked to help select UK wildlife to appear on new banknote series - Bank of England

The public are being asked to give their views on a selection of wildlife, native to the UK, that will appear on the next series of banknotes in a consultation launched today (3 June 2026).

Working with a panel of wildlife experts from across the UK, the Bank of England has produced a shortlist of animals that could become the central image on the £5, £10, £20 and £50 notes.

The list has been grouped into three categories, which cover a variety of species and environments. Each banknote will feature a different animal, making them easily recognisable to the public. The shortlist is:

A table showing the list of nomited animals.

The public can select up to two examples from each category in a consultation running until 3 July. Only the animals on the shortlist published today can feature as the central images on the new series. We are not seeking alternative nominations.

In July 2025, the Bank announced that work will begin on designing the next series of banknotes, with the goal to increase counterfeit resilience, and launched a consultation on the theme for the design. In March 2026, the Bank announced that nature, with a particular focus on wildlife, had been chosen as the theme for the next series of banknotes. The nature theme received the highest proportion of nominations in last year’s public consultation and much of the feedback referred to wildlife that is native to the UK. Animals are vital to our landscapes, ecosystems and everyday lives and have long inspired iconic works of art, music and literature.

The views of the public will be an important consideration in making the final decision on the design. Each denomination will need to be easy to tell apart. It is important that there are four distinct animals across the four denominations and that they are able to represent different environments from across the UK. The central images will be complemented with additional elements from wildlife and nature.

Given this, it is possible that the Bank may not necessarily choose the four animals that receive the highest number of responses. Andrew Bailey, the Governor of the Bank of England, will make the final decision, taking into account the public’s feedback. The Bank will announce the outcome of this consultation by the end of 2026.