The Bank of England today issued the new £10 note, joining the £5 note in the first series of polymer banknotes.

The note features the renowned novelist Jane Austen and is the first UK banknote with a tactile feature to support blind and partially-sighted users.

Just over one billion polymer £10 notes have been printed ready for issue. The existing paper £10 note will be withdrawn from circulation in Spring 2018, with the exact withdrawal date to be announced at least three months in advance.

The new £10 note contains “sophisticated security features” making it difficult to counterfeit, and is expected to last at least 2.5 times longer than the current paper £10 notes – around five years. The polymer £20 note, featuring the artist J.M.W Turner, will be launched in 2020.

The Bank of England is urging retailers to contact the manufacturers of their cash-handling machines to discuss what adaptations will be required.

A range of materials to support staff training on issue and withdrawal are available at http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/banknotes/Pages/educational.aspx.