The £20 and £50 paper notes will be withdrawn by the Bank of England on 30 September

The twenty and fifty pounds sterling notes will be withdrawn by the Bank of England on the last day of September.

After this date, old paper notes will not be accepted as legal tender by shops or businesses, so people are asked to spend or exchange them as soon as possible.

It is believed that millions of old-style banknotes are still in circulation – many are hidden in people’s homes, pockets and piggy banks, where they have been forgotten.

Old banknotes are constantly being returned to the Bank of England as they are being replaced by newer polymer banknotes that provide more security features, making them harder to counterfeit.