Speaking at the Tate Britain, which houses The Turner Bequest, atht eh launch, Governor Mark Carney said: “Our banknotes celebrate the UK’s extraordinarily rich and diverse heritage and highlight the contributions of its greatest citizens.

“Turner’s art was transformative. I am delighted that the work of arguably the single most influential British artist of all time will now appear on another two billion works of art – the new £20 notes that people can start using today.”

Turner’s self-portrait, as featured on the new £20 note, is currently on display at Tate Britain alongside the banknote.

The new £20 note is the first to feature the signature of Sarah John, the Bank’s current Chief Cashier.

She said: “Moving the £20 note to polymer marks a major step forward in our fight against counterfeiting. I am very grateful to everyone across the cash industry who has made this transition possible and I hope the public enjoys using their new Turner £20s.”