As of 30th June 2010 the £20 notes which have Edward Elgar on the back of them will cease to be legal currency.

They will be replaced by notes with the image of  Adam Smith, the Scottish economist, on the back.

Shops will no longer have to accept the old style notes after the 30th June and banks and building societies are under no obligation to swap the notes for the new style notes.

Any old style notes can be swapped at the Bank of England, where they will honour the face value of any notes, even those issued  before World War II

All old notes will be burned at the Government's official incinerator along with any damaged notes and illegal tobacco seized by HM Revenue and Customs at British ports.