how to exchange old for new UK currency from Australia

[Ajcevu]

Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice. I did end up contacting the Bank of England who confirmed they can be exchanged there indefinitely, so I shall put them safely away for the future

 

[Alang]

If you are not coming to the UK for 7-10 years I would just change it back to Au$ and invest it into an interest bearing account. That would contribute to the hit on exchange rates, but try and do it when the rate was not too bad, allowing for changes since the virus and in future. In the time frame you are looking at anything could happen with the exchange rate, they might not be worth much when you do get to the UK!

 

[Archipelago]

Many poor countries will only take US$ and not their own currency, but only nice fresh crisp ones. More than one fold and it is like toilet paper to them...actually they may accept toilet paper now??

Here in Myanmar ^ Absolutely this

The most minor of creases, a tiny mark, a folded corner - and it will not be accepted anywhere in the country.

A few private money changers may take a nearly pristine note, but will hit you on the exchange rate.

An ongoing frustration for expats and locals alike - but especially for tourists who didn't know/research before they came for their holiday.

 

[graxx]

This has been a constant irritation to me for years.
for some reason the UK Government are repeatedly changing their banknotes. Frequent travelers to the UK lose every time they visit.
I always have left-over pounds which I take back next time I visit and find some of the notes are unusable. There's often not enough of them to go down and stand in the queues at the BoE and be treated like a money launderer, so you just have to basically throw them away.
Not that I'll be doing it soon, but I know I'll be caught again next time I go!
Very inconvenient and expensive for frequent UK travelers.

 

[PineappleSkip]

We just took them down to the Post Office, who steered us to a money changer outside.

cheers skip

 

[AIRwin]

There's often not enough of them to go down and stand in the queues at the BoE and be treated like a money launderer, so you just have to basically throw them away.

QF Change for Good?