A third of English people think Scottish bank notes are fake

Scottish banknotes. Photo: Jane Barlow/PA Archive/PA Images

The government is facing calls to end the “confusion” over Scottish bank notes in England after a survey suggested a third of people living in England thought they were fake.

A survey for market research company Censuswide Scotland found a widespread lack of awareness in England that Scottish notes were legal currency in the UK.

The Lib Dem MP Alistair Carmichael is urging UK prime minister Theresa May to raise awareness among businesses and customers across the UK.

The longstanding issue faced by many Scots hit the headlines recently when Judy Murray, mum of tennis star Andy, tweeted that her notes had been turned down trying to buy donuts because a firm “only take British ones.”

The survey found three-quarters of respondents could not identify where Scottish bank notes were from when shown them by Censuswide.

One in six believe the notes, produced by the Bank of Scotland, Royal Bank of Scotland and Clydesdale Bank, were now out of circulation.

One in 10 even said they did not know they exchange rate between England and Scotland.

33% of the 1,710 people surveyed reported that they believed the notes were counterfeit.

Carmichael tried to lodge a private member’s bill in parliament earlier this month on the issue, to make clear in law that Scottish banknotes have to be accepted across Britain. A previous bill failed in 2009.

Mr Carmichael said: “These figures show just how common it is for people elsewhere in the UK to be confused by Scottish currency. If you’re Scottish or Northern Irish, chances are that you will have a tale of a time that your banknotes were met with bafflement.

“Alongside giving their support for the measure outlined in my bill, they should also launch a public awareness campaign to boost public knowledge of the different types bank notes in use across these islands.”