Britain's first plastic tenner entered circulation on September 14, but when do you need to spend all those old paper notes?

The Charles Darwin decorated notes were introduced on November 7, 2000, and they make up around 45% of the notes currently in circulation - that's 359 million Darwins.

A use by date of March 1, 2018, has been stamped on the old note, but you could also bank them before or after the cut-off date, if you're feeling frugal.

The new £10 note is the first to have a braille feature that is designed to help blind or partially sighted users, reports The Mirror.

The Jane Austin adorned £10 note is the second note in circulation to be made from polymer - just like the new Winston Churchill £5 note that came into circulation on September 13 last year.

The new note features a portrait of author Jane Austen

Both polymer notes are tear resistant, can be wiped clean, survive the wash and are expected to last up to five years, compared with 18 months to two years for the former cotton paper version.

The new notes have created controversy in animal rights, vegan and even religious groups because they contain a trace amount of tallow, a rendered form of beef or mutton fat.

People who still have paper £5 notes can exchange them at the Bank of England in person, or via post by completing a form and sending the note to Department NEX, Bank of England, Threadneedle Street, London, EC2R 8AH.

Old pound coins can no longer be spent, but can be donated to charity or deposited into customer bank accounts.

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