Spend your old £10 notes by March 2018

Empty your wallets and purses and check your pockets for the old £10 notes which will cease to be legal tender in 2018.

Following the successful launch of the new Jane Austen £10 note on 14 September 2017, the Bank of England will withdraw legal tender status of the paper £10 note featuring Charles Darwin at 23:59 hrs (GMT) on Thursday 1 March.

The public can continue to use the notes as normal as most paper £10 notes will be automatically removed from circulation.

After 1 March 2018, it will still be possible for Charles Darwin notes to be exchanged at the Bank of England.

The current Darwin £10 note was first issued on 7 November 2000. As at 3 October 2017, 55% of £10 notes in circulation were polymer £10 notes. 359 million paper £10 notes are currently still in circulation.

Bank of England banknotes retain their value for all time and can be exchanged in person or by post: http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/banknotes/Pages/about/exchanges.aspx

The Darwin notes are being withdrawn under authority given to the Bank by virtue of Section 1 (5) of the Currency and Banknotes Act 1954. 5. Legal tender has a limited legal definition, for an explanation see: http://edu.bankofengland.co.uk/knowledgebank/what-is-legal-tender/