Where in the country have people stopped using cash points?

People are withdrawing £10 more on average, although cash machine use has overall declined.

£100 million less is being withdrawn each day from ATMs compared with in 2019, according to cash machine network Link.

Before the coronavirus pandemic, Britons visited cash machines three times a month on average. Visits have now declined to fewer than twice a month on average.

But customers now take out around an extra £10 during each visit, Link said, at just under £80 typically.

Link pointed to Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) figures in 2020 showing that more than five million people greatly rely on cash every day.

Figures in 2020 showing that more than five million people greatly rely on cash every day.

The total value of Link ATM withdrawals is currently running at around £1.6 billion a week, compared with around £2.2 billion in 2019.

The network said this year, it has heard from over 400 communities wanting better cash access.

It has installed over 70 ATMs across the country in response to those requests and a further 30 in areas identified as lacking cash access.

Link said it is encouraging people to speak up if they find it difficult to access cash free of charge.


What areas have seen the biggest decline in cash points?

1. Edinburgh East, 63%

2. Cities of London and Westminster, 60%

3. Edinburgh North and Leith, 60%

4. Holborn and St Pancras, 58%

5. Edinburgh South, 56%

6. Glasgow Central, 56%

7.Edinburgh West, 56%

8. Crawley, 55%

9. Belfast South, 54%

10. Bristol West, 53%


Link said it is encouraging people to speak up if they find it difficult to access cash free of charge.

Nick Quin, head of financial inclusion, Link, said: “People are choosing new ways to pay for things, and Covid has turbocharged the switch to digital.

“When we conducted similar analysis this time last year, we had an incomplete picture because before the vaccine rollout people generally were staying local, working from home and many leisure locations were still temporarily closed.

“ATM use in some city centres had declined by as much as 80% overnight (in Westminster, Glasgow and Edinburgh in March 2020).

“Now that life is returning to normal, people are still visiting ATMs much less often and taking out more each time.

“Crucially, even though we’re withdrawing almost £100 million less per day, millions still rely on cash, especially in the most deprived areas of the country. It is important we continue to protect access to cash across the country.”