Are banknotes from Northern Ireland and Scotland legitimately circulated throughout the UK?

Okay, let's talk about banknotes in the UK. It's true that banknotes issued by banks in Northern Ireland and Scotland are legal currency throughout the UK, even though you might not see them as often in England. The reason for this goes back to the history of banking in the UK. For a long time, private banks were allowed to issue their own banknotes. While the Bank of England gradually became the central bank and sole issuer in England and Wales, some banks in Scotland and Northern Ireland retained this right. These banknotes are regulated and backed by the issuing banks, and while shops aren't legally obligated to accept them (legal tender laws are a bit more nuanced than that!), they are widely circulated and accepted. You might occasionally encounter someone hesitant to take them, especially in England, but that's usually due to unfamiliarity rather than any actual legal restriction. It's an interesting quirk of the UK's financial history!