The New Fiver – What You Need to Know

The Bank of England’s first polymer note – the new £5 featuring Sir Winston Churchill – enters circulation today, Tuesday 13 September.

440 million New Fivers have been printed and they will begin to be available from many cash machines and bank counters across the UK from today. You can expect to see a new note over the coming days and weeks.

What is different about The New Fiver?

The new £5 note is made from polymer, a thin, flexible plastic material. Polymer is resistant to dirt and moisture, and lasts around 2.5 times longer than paper. It has also allowed us to introduce a new generation of security features, making it even harder to counterfeit.

Paper £5 notes will be gradually withdrawn as they are banked by retailers and businesses. You can continue to spend paper £5 notes as usual until 5 May 2017, after which they will cease to be legal tender. After this, you will be able to exchange paper £5 notes at the Bank of England.

We will also be introducing a polymer £10 featuring Jane Austen in summer 2017, followed by the J.M.W. Turner £20 note by 2020.

Find out everything you need to know about The New Fiver at www.thenewfiver.co.uk.