Bills

Bills (noun / UK slang)

Definition: Cash counted in the hundreds. One bill is a clean £100 note, two bills is £200, and so on.

Pronunciation: /bɪlz/ (bilz)

Where It Comes From: Lifted straight from American hip-hop slang—specifically US hundred-dollar bills (the “Benjamins”). When US rap filtered through pirate radio, MTV Base, and onto London estates in the late 90s and 2000s, UK grime and rap culture adapted it for pound sterling. A “bag” became a grand, so a “bill” naturally slotted in for a ton (£100).

How People Actually Use It: It’s standard shorthand when you’re talking about price tags that sting a bit, but aren’t quite into the thousands yet.

You’ll hear it constantly when lads are bragging or moaning about what stuff costs—buying trainers, sorting out car insurance deposits, or paying off a dodgy mechanic. If a ticket for a festival is £200, it’s two bills. If you owe a mate £300 from a weekend away, that’s three bills you need to transfer him.

Examples in the Wild:

• “Paid two bills for these trackies, but the quality is unmatched.”

  Translation: “I spent £200 on this tracksuit, but it’s worth it.”

• “He wants four bills just to fix the bumper on my car—daylight robbery.”

  Translation: “The mechanic is asking for £400 for a minor repair.”

• “Put away a couple of bills every payday and you’ll have your holiday sorted in no time.”

  Translation: “Save a few hundred quid each month for your trip.”

Similar Slang: Ton, Hundred, Score, C-note, Quid, P’s