Sheffield post office is one of the only ones to begin stocking new £20 note today

A post office in Sheffield today becomes one of the first in the country to begin stocking the new polymer £20 notes in its ATM.
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Ellesmere Road post office is one of just seven places in the country where the new notes are available from the ATM, having been released for the first time (February 20).

The new polymer notes are thought to have a lifespan of double its paper counterpart, and as well as being less likely to tear, they only begin melting at 120C and have also been designed not to be damaged by dirt or moisture.

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The plastic notes are also believed to be safer than paper ones and more difficult to counterfeit.

The new £20The new £20
The new £20

The only other place outside of London where the notes will be available tomorrow is Swansea, where one post office will stock them.

There is £42 billion’s worth of £20 notes in circulation in the UK and within eight weeks, the Post Office expects 50 per cent of the notes coming back into cash centres to be the new polymer note.

Martin Kersley, Director of Banking Services said: “The Post Office has been busy upgrading counting equipment, security boxes and ATMs to process the new notes. Post Office branches will start receiving the new notes from this Friday.

“We want to remind customers that, whether there is a bank branch nearby or not, they can come to any post office to access their bank account and deposit their old £20 notes.”