£5 notes in cash machines

HSBC is to stock £5 notes in almost 400 of its cash machines across England and Wales over the next two months.

The move follows a trial by the group in the South-west and Midlands.

The Bank of England is keen to get more £5 notes into circulation due to a general shortage and the poor quality of those that are used.

There are £1.25bn-worth of £5 notes in circulation, or 249 million notes, compared with 640 million £10 notes and more than 1.5 billion £20 ones.