when was decimalisation

Decimalisation in the UK happened on 15 February 1971 , a date widely known as “Decimal Day,” when pounds, shillings and pence were replaced by a system of 100 new pence to the pound.

What is decimalisation?

Decimalisation is the shift from an old-style currency made up of uneven units (like 12 pence in a shilling, 20 shillings in a pound) to a base‑10 system where the main unit is divided into 10s or 100s.

Most modern currencies follow this decimal structure because it makes pricing, accounting, and calculations simpler and less error‑prone.

Decimal Day in the UK

In Britain and the Republic of Ireland, Decimal Day was set for 15 February 1971 after several years of planning and public information campaigns.

On that day, the pound kept its name and value, but shillings disappeared and the pound was divided into 100 “new pence” (abbreviated “p”), each worth 2.4 old pence.

Why it happened when it did

The change was part of a broader push to modernise Britain’s economy, streamline trade, and make it easier for machines and businesses to handle money.

Government planning started in the early 1960s, with a formal decision announced in 1966 and a multi‑year transition leading up to the 1971 switchover.

TL;DR: When was decimalisation? In the UK and Ireland, it was on 15 February 1971, “Decimal Day,” when the old £sd system became pounds and 100 new pence.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.