The Bank of England has announced that the next 20 pound note will be printed on polymer.
The move follows the move in 2013 to make 5 pound and 10 pound banknotes from polymer
The current polymer notes are around 15 percent smaller than the current paper notes. The new 20 pound notes will also keep their traditional look, with a portrait of the Queen on the front. The character for the new note will be announced in spring 2016 and the new note issued by the end of 2020.
The 20 pound note is the most common banknote, with a reported 1.9 billion in circulation at the end of February according to the Bank of England. A competitive tender process for the supply of the polymer for the 20 pound note is expected to start in late 2015, the Bank said.
The move to plastic notes will leave the 50 as the only remaining paper note.
Polymer notes tend to last at least two-and-a-half times longer than paper banknotes and are more resistant to dirt and moisture. They also have advanced security features, making them difficult to counterfeit, according to the bank.
Polymer banknotes entered circulation in Scotland in March, when Clydesdale Bank issued two million of the notes to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the opening of the Forth Bridge.
More than 30 countries currently issue polymer notes, including Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Singapore, Canada and Fiji.
