Bank of England announces new £20 polymer note

A new, polymer £20 note, featuring the artist JMW Turner, will be issued on 20 February 2020. It contains sophisticated security features making it the most secure Bank of England banknote yet. For the first time, the note incorporates two windows and a two-colour foil, making it very difficult to counterfeit and, like the polymer £10, will contain a tactile feature to help vision impaired people identify the denomination.

In preparation for the new £20 note, cash-handling businesses should:

• speak to suppliers to check banknote machines are updated
  eg: self-service checkouts, point-of-sale banknote authenticators, back office banknote authenticators/note counters
• ensure staff who handle cash are aware and know what to expect on 20 February 2020
• access free training and educational materials via Bank of England

The polymer £20 note will join the Churchill £5 and the Austen £10. A new £50 note, featuring Alan Turing, will follow in 2021. The paper £20 can be used until it is withdrawn from circulation. The Bank of England will announce the withdrawal date after the new polymer £20 note has been issued, with six months’ notice.

Find out more at Bank of England.