Britain’s new money is plastic, easy to launder (in machine)

The new note is printed on a plastic film which is already used in Australia, Brazil and Canada.

Only 7% of United Kingdom cash machines dispense £5 notes.

The new note, which features Sir Winston Churchill as part of a design overhaul, was unveiled on 2 June at Blenheim Palace.

Although the Bank of England will release the notes tomorrow, they take a while to spread across the country.

Three Scottish banks will issue polymer £5 notes, Clydesdale on 27 September, Bank of Scotland on 4 October and the Royal Bank of Scotland on 27 October.

The snapshot is based on the scene you can gaze upon from the south bank of the River Thames, when you look across Westminster Bridge.

Where can I get a new £5 note?

An image of the Nobel Prize medal he was awarded in 1953 for literature will appear in the background, alongside the wording of the prize citation.

When can I get one?

Why is the old £5 note being replaced?

The old paper notes have a much shorter lifespan than the new one which is printed on polymer and is resistant to dirt and moisture.

The first £5 note was issued in 1793.

After that, they will cease to be legal tender.

Paper £5 notes will be gradually withdrawn as they are banked by retailers and businesses.

New security measures will make it harder to counterfeit, including a see-through window and foil Elizabeth Tower, which is gold on the front of the note and silver on the back.

Why are they being changed?

Within a week most bank branches are expected to stock them, so those who want one are advised to go in and ask.

The new notes will be environmentally-friendly.

Research seems to point to a future without cash – meaning the new £5 note could have a short shelf life.

The 10 and 20-pound notes will be issued in 2017 and 2020 – the first featuring novelist Jane Austen and the second, painter JMW Turner.

A spilled drink should have a little effect on the new notes, which can be wiped clean and will even survive a standard laundry cycle with “minimal damage”.

The Bank of England is preparing to launch a revolutionary bank note this week.

Banks and ATMs began getting their supply of the new notes today. Also noteworthy is the fact that while the new fiver notes are durable they will shrink in size and melt on ironing at temperatures above 120 degrees.