Scottish and Northern Irish banknotes are commonly used across the UK, but they are issued by commercial banks rather than the Bank of England. Whether a shop accepts a note can be a practical decision, so check before relying on it for a payment.
Acceptance and legal tender are different
“Legal tender” has a specific meaning and is often used too loosely in everyday discussions. A note may be accepted by a business without being legal tender for every type of payment. Businesses can have their own cash-handling policies.
Check the issuing bank
Look at the bank named on the note and use that issuer’s guidance for exchange, authenticity and withdrawn-note arrangements. Do not apply Bank of England procedures automatically to Scottish or Northern Irish notes.
Other regional notes and coins
Notes and coins from the Channel Islands, Isle of Man and Gibraltar have their own issuing authorities and practical rules. Ask the issuer or recipient business rather than assuming that all British currency is interchangeable everywhere.
For related research, see the old UK banknotes guide and the existing Guernsey currency guide. Always check current issuer guidance before travelling or posting a note.