To ask if I can use Scottish £5 note in England?

[fuckingidiotseverywhere]

Sorry, posting for traffic! I've googled but I'm not getting a consistent answer. DD received some cash in cards for Christmas from family, one of which was a Scottish £5 note (we are in England). Partner thinks nowhere will accept this? Would be nice to have an answer in advance before we let DD "pay herself" for some things she wants in a shop (she's 3 so it's novelty for her to hand the money over herself and she's very excited to do so). Obviously we will just replace it for her with an English one if not, but wanted to check in advance. Thank you.

I am from NI but I have used notes from NI and Scotland before in England, as I visit my family very often. Although I've only ever used it in supermarkets, such as Sainsbury's, Morrisons etc

You can offer it as payment, but the store has the right to refuse to take.

Better change it at a Bank of England branch, or ask the Scottish relative to change it?

Officially you can, but in practice many shop staff will be suspicious and decline. They will very likely never have seen one before and won’t know that they’re legal tender. Best is to take it to any High St bank and get them to swap it.

Technically you can but realistically many places won't accept it.

No shop in the North of England has ever refused a Scottish note from me - yes in London a few times - weird!

They are legal tender throughout the UK but some shops in England won't take them because of ignorance.

Yes you can as it is legal tender.

I haven't done so for many years though, and I've heard that some shop assistants may be reluctant to 'allow' it.

Path of least resistance might be changing it at a PO or bank. If your neck of the wood still has those...

Some places won't accept Scottish notes because they don't recognise them. I once used Scottish notes in a Lidl and the cashier was dubious enough to call to a colleague, who asked them whether the ink rubbed off, and as it didn't then it was probably fine!

I would exchange the note for an English one for your daughter first, to save the confusion and complication at the till.

Yes, in theory it’s accepted, the same way that we take English notes up here.

However the reality is that the further south you go the more arsey people get about it. If you are anywhere south of Leeds I would replace it so she doesn’t have a bad experience spending it.

If it says Sterling on it you can and there is no reason for a shop to refuse. If it doesn't say sterling on it then you can't.

You can. where in England you are will make a difference on how easily places accept it

It’ll all depend if the person in the shop has seen Scottish notes before and is confident they can tell it’s not fake.

If you’re not near the border, in a holiday area or an area with a lot of Scots id swap with her.

@BMW6 relative isn't even Scottish! They're also in England so I'm not sure how they have the note either 😂

Thanks all - safest bet seems to be to exchange it for an English one so DD can use it to pay "all by herself", as she's a "big girl now" (so she keeps telling me 🥰😂)

I work for Asda and can confirm we accept them.

This is interesting! We are north east actually, so might have more luck!

It's not legal tender, not that it matters very much. See the Bank of England explanation here:

https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/explainers/what-is-legal-tender

God that would be so rude.

Presuming it has come from a relative in Scotland, please don’t ask the relative to exchange it.

Agree that closer to Scotland equals more likely to accept .
For example Northumberland and Cumbria never had a problem.

I won't be asking the relative to exchange it, don't worry! They're not even Scottish either, they're further south in England than we actually! Maybe that's why they wanted rid of it if southern areas don't accept it as readily 😂

My grandparents used to live in Scotland so we used to end up with Scottish notes. Some shops accepted some didn't. I dont know if it was down to the person on the till not being aware that the notes look different

Ah ok, we are around the Newcastle region actually.

You'll be fine up north, if not just pay it into your own bank then withdraw an English fiver. They won't swap the note but will allow you to do this as it goes through your account then.

Nope, they won't like it.

@IggyAce ah that's good to know thank you. Maybe we will take DD to Asda then to choose her gifts ☺️

Strictly speaking, scottish notes are not legal tender, but that doesn't really matter given that neither are english banknotes in scotland or indeed debit cards.

Most places will take them quite happily, the only exceptions might be little corner shops and stuff that aren't used to seeing them. Go to a bigger shop and they'll be absolutely fine.

i love spending scottish money, seeing the look of confusion and doubt, in english shop keepers.