Across the UK there are very different attitudes to accessing and carrying cash according to a You Gov survey of 2,300 people commissioned by LINK, operator of the UK Cash Machine Network. From the contents of our wallets and purses, to the number of times we visit a cash machine, there are clear regional differences in how we handle our cash.
When it comes to withdrawing cash from a machine, the research brought to light two very distinct groups – ‘feasters’ and ‘nibblers’. People tend either to feast on cash, whereby they withdraw £100 plus, once or more per week or nibble on it, withdrawing £20-£30, two or three times per week.
The Welsh are the biggest ‘feasters’ with 20% being “feasters”, while in the South West, they are far more cautious, with only 7% admitting they feast on cash.
Those in Central Scotland are more likely to be nibblers compared with the South of England with 91% in the ‘nibbler’ category compared with 84% of southerners. However, the North of Scotland exactly matched the national average feast/nibble ratio of 13% / 87%.
The feast/nibble ratio of all regions can be seen in the graph below.
image1
Across the country, the average amount of cash in people’s purses and wallets also varies. The North of Scotland and the South West of England are the regions with the greatest number of people carrying on average less than £20 in cash.
Respondents in London unsurprisingly cited security as the primary reason for not carrying large amounts of cash. This was in stark contrast to respondents in Wales who are the most confident in the UK about their personal safety and listed the main reason for carrying less cash as the fact they do not need any more.
Interestingly, 43% of people in North Scotland claim to carry large amounts of cash to pay for their partners’ expenses, compared with only 3% of people in Yorkshire.
When it comes to over-spending and running out of cash, Londoners are most likely to over-spend and run out of cash, topping the tables in all categories, including borrowing money from friends and being too drunk to remember using a cash machine. Whereas people in Yorkshire, on the other hand, tend to be the most likely to have their spending under control.
A full list can be seen below.
image 2
Edwin Latter, LINK ATM Scheme Director said,
“As operators of the UK’s cash machine network, we are very interested in understanding the nation’s attitude to cash and what factors determine the public’s use of cash machines. The statistics show clear differences in withdrawal patterns across the country.”
-ENDS-
LINK Press Contacts
YouGov Survey
National sample size: 2,300
Fieldwork: 26th - 28th July 2006
Notes to Editors
