Public support for cash remains consistently strong across the UK, with overwhelming opposition to proposals that could limit access to cash withdrawal services, shows a new research published today (June 9).
As emerged from a fresh research conducted by YouGov on behalf of the Payment Choice Alliance, 72 per cent of respondents back legislation that would oblige businesses to accept cash.
The findings closely mirror cash usage habits among the public. In the latest survey, 71 per cent of respondents said they continue to use cash regularly, whether daily, weekly or monthly.
Support for a fully cashless society remains limited. Only 10 per cent of respondents said they would support the UK becoming entirely cashless, down from 12 per cent in 2023.
The research also examined public attitudes towards access to cash. According to industry figures, ATMs continue to provide the vast majority of cash withdrawals in the UK, while the number of free-to-use ATMs has fallen substantially since 2018.
To understand public views on future cash access arrangements, YouGov asked respondents whether they would support phasing out 24/7 ATMs and restricting cash withdrawals to Post Office counters only.
The results showed strong opposition to such a move. 85 per cent of respondents said they would oppose limiting cash access to Post Office counters, while only 4 per cent expressed support.
Ron Delnevo, Chairman of the Payments Choice Alliance comments, " This YouGov 2026 research reveals that the UK public feel even more strongly than before that it should be a legal requirement for businesses to accept their cash. 72% of the public wanting this is surely too high a majority for any sensible UK Government to ignore.
"I cannot say I am surprised at the strength of UK public opinion on this matter. After all, most of the UK’s European neighbours have already given legal or constitutional protection to cash acceptance. Even Sweden, the former Poster Child of the “cashless” movement, has now taken steps to compel businesses to accept cash. Nearer still to home, Jersey – a British Crown Protectorate – has passed legislation to oblige businesses to accept cash by 2028.”
"Wherever I go in the UK, the public increasingly tell me that they feel like second class citizens when their cash is often contemptuously rejected by misguided businesses. No business should have the right to treat the British public in this way.
"The Government must act quickly to pass the required legislation on cash acceptance - and to ensure the public everywhere can continue to access cash via 24/7 free-to-use ATMS.”