The new £50 note features Alan Turing, mathematician, codebreaker and computer scientist who finally cracked the German codes with the Enigma machine during the Second World War.

The polymer £50 note will enter general circulation on Wednesday, coinciding with Turing’s birthday.

The note contains advanced security features and will be the most secure set of Bank of England polymer banknotes. It incorporates two windows and a two-colour foil, making it difficult to counterfeit. The note will also make use of a hologram which changes between the words ‘Fifty’ and ‘Pounds’ when tilting the note from side to side.

Commenting on the new note, governor Andrew Bailey said: “I’m delighted that our new £50 features one of Britain’s most important scientists, Alan Turing. Turing is best known for his codebreaking work at Bletchley Park, which helped end the Second World War.

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“However, in addition he was a leading mathematician, developmental biologist and a pioneer in the field of computer science. He was also gay and was treated appallingly as a result. By placing him on our new polymer £50 banknote, we are celebrating his achievements and the values he symbolises”.

Director of GCHQ Jeremy Fleming said: “Alan Turing’s appearance on the £50 note is a landmark moment in our history. Not only is it a celebration of his scientific genius which helped to shorten the war and influence the technology we still use today, it also confirms his status as one of the most iconic LGBT+ figures in the world.

“Turing was embraced for his brilliance and persecuted for being gay. His legacy is a reminder of the value of embracing all aspects of diversity, but also the work we still need to do to become truly inclusive.”

Following the announcement of the new £50 the Bank of England has released free training material for businesses so that their staff know what to do if they find a counterfeit bank note.  

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