Shortage of £5 notes - are you doing your bit?

[#1]

Just watched the interview with Andrew Bailey, Chief Cashier at the Bank of England: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7883393.stm
Apparently there is a shortage of £5 notes in circulation because everybody now gets their money out of ATMs and they don't dispense £5 notes. So whenever we get money from inside the bank/building society we should be asking for it in £5 notes.

[#2]

Yet most banks and building society`s have a minimum withdrawal limit on counter transactions, that force you to use the machine outside !.... not everyone wants to withdraw £250  at a go.... or even carry that amount of  "ready cash" on them,,, in fivers or tenners... ! ! !

[#3]

I found them!

[#4]

403 Barry. I suppose it's a case of if your face fits....

[#5]

is there a shortage of the 3 kinds of scottish £5 notes as well -- or just the engerlish ones?

[#6]

I don't know about shortage - but we don't see very many.
I'm going to the Bank of Scotland this afternoon - I will try to get some fivers and report back
{Edit - thinking about it - I think only Royal Bank of Scotland issued fivers in recent years.
But bearing in mind recent events, I wonder if we will have three banks issuing Scottish notes in the future.

[#7]

I hadn't realised there was a shortage, but when I think about it there have been a few times recently where shops have apologised for giving me £5 to £9 change in coins because they have no fivers.

[#8]

How long before it goes the way of the 10 bob note and becomes a coin? 
For younger readers: that's 50p

[#9]

10 bob notes were withdrawn in 1969 so approximately 60 to 70% of the population will not remember them. The £1 note was the last to be withdrawn in 1988.

[#10]

Hence the footnote. We still see the occasional £1 note in Scotland.

[#11]

Well Scotland is weird as retail banks issue notes and only the Royal Bank of Scotland issue a £1 note, the others do not.

[#12]

and in Scotland no £ sterling paper money is legal tender - no matter what bank issues it

[#13]

Another way that notes used to get into circulation was when people collected pensions and benefits over the counter at post offices. Now these are usually paid to bank. I don't understand why £5 notes cannot be distributed via major supermarkets. The self-service check-outs can handle fivers but more often than not issue coins in change. The staffed check-outs also often don't have fivers and if they do they are usually very tatty.

[#14]

Interesting.  My local Tesco often gives me 2 x £5 when I ask for £10 cash back, but have problems giving me 2 £10 notes for £20 cash back, so then I get a £20 note.  Perhaos Tesco is hoarding £5 notes?

[#15]

There are already £5 coins