If there’s one thing the British know how to do, it’s come up with imaginative, sometimes completely baffling, slang.
Whether you’re buying a pint at the pub or haggling at a local market, there’s no escaping the colorful slang when it comes to money.
Join the SlangHub team on a tour of the UK and find out what folks from different cities call their cash. You might want to take notes (pun intended!).
Slang for Money in London
Starting in the capital, London has a rich history of slang that dates back to Cockney rhyming slang and the East End markets.
As always, Londoners have a language of their own when it comes to money.
A quid is your standard, no-nonsense term for a pound – “Lend us a quid, mate!” – and the term is widely used across the UK.
If you’ve got a score on you, that’s £20, while a pony is £25. Keep those ponies in check, though, because it’ll take four of them to make a ton, or £100. And if you’re really rolling in it, a monkey will land you £500.
And if you’ve not been as careful with your cash, you may only have shrapnel – loose change!
Slang for Money in Birmingham
Birmingham, the city famed for its iconic accent (think Peaky Blinders), has some peculiar slang of its own.
In Brum, the locals might refer to their money as bob. A bob originally meant a shilling back in pre-decimal days, but now it’s just a general term for cash.
If you’re down the Bullring doing a bit of shopping, you might hear, “That’ll cost you a few bob!”. It’s usually used to describe something not too expensive. And when the Brummies are being generous, they might offer to lend you a couple of quid.
Slang for Money in Manchester
In Manchester, it’s less about inventing new words and more about adding some flair to the classics.
Quid is still the go-to term for a pound, but the Mancs are all about the fiver (£5) and tenner (£10) when it comes to day-to-day spending. But occasionally you might hear wedge or dosh when talking about a decent amount of cash.
Slang for Money in Scotland
Heading up to Scotland, you’ll find that the Scots have some overlap with English slang, but they’re also known to throw in a curveball or two.
In Glasgow, you might hear someone say, “Ah’ve nae dosh!” if they’re out of money, or “It’s only a couple of bawbees,” if they’re talking about something cheap. The term bawbee harks back to an old Scottish coin, but these days it’s just slang for a tiny amount of cash.
And perhaps most interestingly, plonk refers to a pound coin in some parts of Scotland. Not to be confused with cheap wine, although you might need some plonk to buy plonk!
Slang for Money in Wales
In Wales, things tend to follow the trends set across the rest of the UK.
People in Cardiff or Swansea will use quid for a pound, just like their English and Scottish neighbours. If you’re counting pennies, though, they might refer to them as coppers, which applies to any small change.
But when things get tight, you might hear someone saying, “I’m brassic!”. This is borrowed slang from further afield, meaning you’ve got no money left.
The Brits are known for their colorful slang – and this is no more obvious than when it comes to money. From ponies and monkeys to quids and coppers, you’ll hear it all when counting your cash in the UK.
And if this guide has got you inspired to learn more local British lingo, check out our guide to UK Slang!