Instances of counterfeits of the new polymer £5 and £10 banknotes

Date: 12 June 2019

Disclosure:

‘1) The number of recorded instances of counterfeits of the new plastic £5 note to date (if possible, could this info be broken down by tax year or another suitably similar timeframe?)

2) The number of recorded instances of counterfeits of the new plastic £10 note design to date (if possible, could this info be broken down by tax year or another suitably similar timeframe?)’

In respect of question 1, the number of recorded instances of counterfeits of the new £5 polymer note design since its launch in September 2016 is 46. In respect of question 2, the number of recorded instances of counterfeits of the new £10 polymer note design since its launch in September 2017 is 63.

To put these figures in context, there were 284 million polymer £5 notes and 1,022 million polymer £10 notes in circulation at the end of April 2019 and most of the counterfeits were of a very poor quality that would be easily identifiable by members of the public.

‘3) If held, comparative figures for – on average - how many recorded instances of counterfeits of the old paper £5 notes you received each month before the note went out of circulation.

4) If held, comparative figures for – on average - how many recorded instances of counterfeits of the old paper £5 notes you received each month before the note went out of circulation.’

In respect of question 3, we have provided monthly data for the number of counterfeits of the old series paper notes from the launch of the £5 polymer banknote (September 2016) to when the £5 Fry paper banknote ceased to be legal tender on 7 May 2017. In respect of question 4, we assume you mean £10 and have therefore provided monthly data for the number of counterfeits of the old series of paper notes  from the launch of the £10 polymer banknote (September 2017) to end-February 2018 as the £10 Darwin paper banknote ceased to be legal tender on 1 March 2018. Figures are provided in the table below.