1.4 million
people don't have a bank
account and would be cut
off without cash
#saveourcash
Our right to cash is at risk
Millions of people and businesses across the country rely on cash to get by and survive.
Eight million people have said they would struggle to manage their money without cash. An astonishing 1.4 million people, the equivalent of the population of Birmingham, do not even have a bank account.
For these people, cash is a lifeline that makes their day-to-day possible. Without cash, they are lost.
But access to cash services is in rapid decline. The rise of contactless and digital payments, alongside the continued reduction of bank branches and ATMs, is having a material impact. 4,000 banks have closed their doors in the last six years, the equivalent of nearly two branches each and every day.
The impact of this uncontrolled change is particularly badly felt by small businesses and the most vulnerable in our communities. Even today, 55% of small businesses do not accept cards and rely entirely on cash payments.
In other words, this is a major problem for all of us.
Find Out How15 million
of cash withdrawals from Post Office last year (value of £548m) were to the penny.
11,500
Post Office branches are spread across the UK, more than all of the banks and building societies combined.
99.7%
of the population live within three miles of a Post Office and 4,000 branches are open seven days a week.
4,100
bank branches exist in the UK today with 55 closing every month, meaning local access to cash is disappearing.
55%
of small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) do not accept cards and rely entirely on cash.
10%
of consumers have been unable to pay for goods with cash recently – meaning financial exclusion and discrimination.
The Role of Post Office
Post Office enables people to deposit and withdraw cash from their existing accounts, from small amounts to the penny for some of the most vulnerable people in society to larger cash deposits up to £20,000 for vibrant local businesses in our communities.
While the agreement that enables Post Office to provide this vital service for people is hugely positive, it is also fragile because it depends entirely on a commercial agreement between the banks and Post Office to support it.
Each bank has a choice about the services to offer via this agreement and everyone wants to see that continue. Whether it is through the Post Office or some other channel, we think you should be able to withdraw and deposit your cash somewhere close to you.
That is why we are campaigning for Government to place an obligation on banks to provide nationwide free-to-use cash services for both consumers and businesses who rely on cash day-to-day.
We must save our cash.
Take ActionTake Our Quiz
Wanting to protect access to cash services may seem like an issue that will only affect the most vulnerable in our society. But the truth is that the knock-on effect of an uncontrolled move towards a cashless society will affect us all.
Take our short quiz to find out how.
Launch Quiz