These paper notes will be withdrawn from circulation after 30 September 2022, so you will no longer be able to spend them.

Until then, both the polymer and paper £20 and £50 notes can be used. Shoppers are encouraged to spend or swap the old notes at a bank or Post Office.

The Bank of England said while the majority of paper £20 and £50 banknotes in circulation have been replaced with new polymer versions, there are still over £6bn worth of paper £20 notes featuring the economist Adam Smith, and over £8bn worth of paper £50 banknotes featuring the engineers Boulton and Watt in circulation.

That’s more than 300 million individual £20 banknotes, and 160 million paper £50 banknotes.