News

New data from LINK shows cash withdrawals have fallen in every parliamentary constituency across the UK since before the pandemic, highlighting the continued growth of digital payments while underlining the ongoing importance of cash for millions of people.

LINK, which distributes more than 90% of the cash withdrawn on the high street, compared the first six months of 2019 with the first six months of 2026. The results show a significant reduction in both the number and value of cash withdrawals across all parts of the country.

Despite this long-term shift, cash remains an important part of everyday life. Between January and June 2026, people withdrew £36 billion from LINK’s network, equivalent to around £198 million every day. That is £21 billion less than during the same period in 2019, reflecting the increasing popularity of contactless payments, digital wallets and other electronic payment methods.

The data also reveals that consumers are visiting ATMs much less frequently than they did before the pandemic. There were 500 million fewer ATM visits during the first half of 2026 compared with the same period in 2019.

Different rates of change across the country

While cash use has declined everywhere, the speed of change varies between communities.

City centres and more affluent suburban areas, where digital payment adoption tends to be higher, have generally seen the largest falls in withdrawals. By contrast, rural and more deprived areas have experienced slower declines, reflecting continued demand for cash in many communities.

Central London has seen the largest reduction in cash withdrawals, with ATMs in the Cities of London and Westminster dispensing around £2 million less per day than in 2019. At the other end of the scale, the Weald of Kent has seen one of the smallest reductions, with withdrawals falling by around £17,000 per day.

Cash remains vital for millions

Nick Quin, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at LINK, said:

“Cash withdrawals are falling across every part of the country. More people find it convenient and prefer to pay using contactless cards and digital wallets on smartphones, but millions still rely on it day in, day out.

“People on lower incomes rely more heavily or entirely on cash to budget, which is why our job is to protect access to cash for as long as people need it.”

Learn more

Explore LINK's latest cash usage insights through the LINK Cash Index and our cash access research resources. These insights help us understand changing payment behaviours while ensuring communities across the UK continue to have access to cash when and where they need it.