Yes, shops in the UK can refuse £50 notes, even though they are legal tender, because they are within their rights to set their own payment policies, such as only accepting smaller notes or card payments. While legal tender ensures you can't be sued for debt if you offer full payment in legal tender (Bank of England notes and Royal Mint coins in England/Wales), it doesn't force a shop to accept it for goods or services at the point of sale, especially for large notes that can empty their till.
Many self-service checkouts do not accept £50 notes due to concerns about counterfeiting and the need for high-value change. However, some newer machines, especially in supermarkets like Tesco, Sainsbury's, and Asda, do accept them, particularly if they have updated banknote validators for polymer notes.
While cash is considered a legal tender, businesses have no legal obligation to accept it and have the right to set their own payment policies. This means that a brick-and-mortar store can refuse cash, just as they can reject other forms of payment, such as certain credit card payments or cheques.
As of September 30, 2022, the use of older £20 and £50 paper notes has officially come to an end, marking a significant transition in the UK's currency landscape. With the introduction of more secure polymer notes, the Bank of England has phased out these older notes, making them no longer valid for shop payments.
Paper £5, £10, £20 and £50 notes are no longer legal tender after being withdrawn and replaced with polymer versions. These modern notes are considered more durable and harder to counterfeit as they feature see-through windows and holograms.
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What to do with a 50 pound note?
Exchanging old notes
This note replaces our paper £50 note which was withdrawn from circulation after 30 September 2022. You may be able to deposit withdrawn notes at your own bank or with the Post Office.
Once the 30 September 2022 deadline has passed, people will no longer be able to spend paper notes in shops or use them to pay businesses. While you? re at it, it might be worth thinking about emptying drawers and jars too.
If you want to pay for a pack of chewing gum with a £50 note, it is perfectly legal to turn you down. Likewise for all other banknotes, it is a matter of discretion. If your nearest corner shop decided to only accept payments in Pokémon cards, they would be within their rights to do so.
The Bank of England has given a September 30 deadline whereby paper £20 and £50 notes will no longer be accepted. It means shoppers using paper notes to pay for items in stores such as Tesco, Asda, Aldi, Lidl and M&S will have their payment rejected. The paper notes in current circulation were first issued in 2007.
Paper £20 and £50 banknotes cease to be legal tender after 30 September 2022. The Bank of England will be withdrawing legal tender status of the paper £20 and £50 notes after 30 September 2022, and are encouraging anyone who has these to spend or deposit them at their bank or Post Office.
It is not illegal to keep cash at home in the UK, but it should be stored securely to mitigate risks. The amount of cash to have on hand varies, but a small amount for emergencies is recommended while keeping most in a secure bank account.
The UK is rapidly moving towards being a low-cash, but not fully cashless, society, with digital payments dominating, yet cash remains crucial for millions, especially vulnerable groups, leading to government efforts to protect access via legislation, banking hubs, and ATMs, even as some businesses go card-only and digital ID plans emerge. While cash use has plummeted (less than 10% of payments in 2024/25), the Bank of England and officials stress that a completely cashless system isn't feasible or desirable yet, focusing on maintaining choice and access for everyone, including the elderly and low-income individuals.
Tesco caused uproar among shoppers this week when it confirmed it would ban cash payments at some of its cafes. The card-only policy will be rolled out to 40 in-store eateries. The supermarket has reportedly taken the decision after a new electronic ordering system helped to significantly cut down queues.
We accept cash, Visa Debit / Visa Electron, Mastercard, Solo / Maestro, Apple Pay, Google Pay. Contactless works up to £100 with your card — and there's no limit for Apple or Google Pay. We don't accept cheques, £50 notes, manufacturer discount coupons (we're not a participating retailer right now.
Is it legal to refuse cash? In the UK it is not illegal for businesses to refuse cash as payment and, in the same breath, it's not illegal for them to refuse card payments, either. The only situation where this isn't the case is when a business is accepting payment for a debt.
I don't know about the other supermarkets, but Sainsbury's definitely don't accept the old £50 notes on self scan. They will be accepted at the manned tills until 30th September, or you can just take them to your bank to be exchanged for the new plastic notes.
Yes. A shop is under no obligation to sell you anything, nor to sell it to you at the price on the label. They can choose to refuse your note because a display of priced goods is merely an "offer to treat" - to negotiate a deal - although negotiating the price of a Mars bar downwards doesn't often work.
Both £20 notes and £50 notes are being phased out and replaced with new, more secure versions that are harder to copy. From September the older paper notes will no longer be accepted at shops including Asda, Tesco, Aldi, M&S and Morrisons.
Cotton £50 notes from the previous series remained in circulation alongside the new polymer notes until 30 September 2022, when the last "paper" banknote issue finally ceased to be legal tender.
Most banks accept coins for cash exchange, though services vary by institution. Large banks typically require pre-rolled coins, while some smaller institutions and credit unions provide self-service counting machines. The services depend on the bank, so it's a good idea to call your nearest branch.
