Foxes, puffins and bumblebees in the running for new UK banknotes as public vote opens

British wallets could soon be filled with foxes, puffins and bumblebees rather than historical figures, after the Bank of England opened a public vote on the wildlife that will feature on its next generation of banknotes. The consultation invites people across the country to have a direct say in the imagery they will carry and use every day, a rare moment of public participation in the design of the nation's currency.

A shortlist of 18 native species, drawn up with the help of a panel of wildlife experts, is divided into three groups: mammals, birds, and a third category covering amphibians, insects and fish. Voters are being asked to pick their favourites from each group, helping to shape a series of notes that would mark a striking departure from the portraits of notable Britons that have long adorned the currency.

The initiative reflects a desire to make the new notes feel both distinctive and representative of the country's natural heritage, while engaging the public in a way that previous redesigns have not.

Who is on the shortlist

The mammal contenders include the red fox, the European hedgehog, the pine marten, the grey seal, the brown hare and the bottlenose dolphin. Among the birds are the puffin, the barn owl, the kingfisher, the curlew, the white-tailed eagle and the great spotted woodpecker. The remaining group features the common frog, the marsh fritillary butterfly, the Atlantic salmon, the basking shark, the emperor dragonfly and the buff-tailed bumblebee.

The selection spans some of the most beloved and recognisable creatures in Britain alongside species that are less familiar but no less significant, several of which are of conservation concern. The breadth of the shortlist is intended to celebrate the diversity of the country's wildlife, from the coastlines and rivers to the woodlands and meadows.

The chosen species are set to appear across the £5, £10, £20 and £50 notes. The Bank has said a portrait of the monarch will continue to feature on the new designs alongside the wildlife imagery, ensuring continuity with established convention even as the broader theme changes.

• Mammals: red fox, hedgehog, pine marten, grey seal, brown hare, bottlenose dolphin
• Birds: puffin, barn owl, kingfisher, curlew, white-tailed eagle, great spotted woodpecker
• Others: common frog, marsh fritillary butterfly, Atlantic salmon, basking shark, emperor dragonfly, buff-tailed bumblebee
• Chosen species will feature across the £5, £10, £20 and £50 notes
• A portrait of the monarch will remain on the designs

“Putting British species into the hands of millions of people each day is a wonderful way to celebrate the wildlife on our doorstep.”

— A conservation group spokesperson

How to take part

The month-long consultation launched on Wednesday 3 June and runs into early July, with the public encouraged to submit their preferences online. Conservation groups have welcomed the move, arguing that putting British species into the hands of millions of people each day could help raise awareness of the country's threatened wildlife and foster a greater connection with the natural world.

The vote is intended to be straightforward, allowing people to register their choices from each of the three categories. The Bank has stressed that the final designs will draw on the public's input alongside expert advice, balancing popularity with considerations of design, security and visual impact on the finished notes.

Background and context

Banknote redesigns are infrequent and carefully managed undertakings, combining artistry with sophisticated anti-counterfeiting technology. Historically, the reverse of British notes has carried portraits of celebrated figures from history, including scientists, writers and reformers. The decision to move to a nature theme represents a significant shift in the visual identity of the currency, prompted in part by public appetite for something fresh.

The shift to a nature theme followed an earlier consultation in which the wildlife option attracted the greatest share of public nominations, edging out alternatives based on landmarks, innovation and notable Britons. That earlier exercise set the direction, and the current vote refines it by asking the public to choose the specific species that will ultimately appear.

Several of the species on the shortlist are emblematic of wider conservation challenges, from seabirds such as the puffin, whose colonies have come under pressure, to the curlew, a wading bird that has suffered steep declines. Featuring them on the currency, supporters argue, could quietly prompt millions of people to think about the fragility of the natural world each time they reach into their pockets.

What happens next

Once the consultation closes in early July, the Bank will weigh the public's preferences alongside expert and design considerations before confirming which species make the final cut. The new notes themselves will take time to design, test and produce, meaning it will be some years before they enter circulation. For now, the vote offers the public a rare chance to shape the look of the money in their pockets, and a moment to reflect on the wildlife that makes the British landscape distinctive.