The plastic £10 note will be issued on 14 September, a year after the polymer £5 note was first introduced, and the current paper £10 notes will be withdrawn sometime in spring 2018.

It is the first banknote with a tactile feature to help blind and partially sighted users. There will be a series of raised dots in the top left corner which have been developed in conjunction with the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB).

The polymer £20, featuring the artist J.M.W Turner and launching in 2020, will also have a tactile feature, but with a different pattern. The polymer £5 will be identifiable as the only polymer note without a tactile feature.

The new notes are made from the same material as the plastic £5 notes which is made up of a thin, see-through polymer composition rather than cotton paper. This new plastic like material was chosen for its durability (lasts for five years), environmental friendliness and counterfeit-resistant qualities.

Around 100 million of the notes have already been printed but it will be another two months before they hit circulation.

Security features on the new £10 note include:

• a see-through window featuring the Queen’s portrait.
• Winchester Cathedral shown in gold foil on the front of the note and silver on the back.
• a quill at the side of the window which changes from purple to orange.
• a hologram which contains the word ‘Ten’ and changes to ‘Pounds’ when the note is tilted.
• a hologram of the coronation crown which appears 3D and multi-coloured when the note is tilted.
• a book-shaped copper foil patch which contains the letter JA.
• micro-lettering beneath the Queen’s portrait with tiny letters and numbers that are visible under a microscope.
• the words ‘Bank of England’ printed in intaglio (raised ink) along the top of the note.

Speaking at Winchester Cathedral, the resting place of Jane Austen, Carney said: ‘Our banknotes serve as repositories of the country’s collective memory, promoting awareness of the United Kingdom’s glorious history and highlighting the contributions of its greatest citizens. The new £10 note celebrates Jane Austen’s work. Austen’s novels have a universal appeal and speak as powerfully today as they did when they were first published.

‘The new £10 will be printed on polymer, making it safer, stronger and cleaner. The note will also include a new tactile feature on the £10 to help the visually impaired, ensuring the nation’s money is as inclusive as possible.’

Jane Austen will now be the only woman to be on a banknote, besides the Queen, after the old paper £5 note featuring Elizabeth Fry was withdrawn.

Further details about the new £10 Note are here.