Cash withdrawals have fallen in every parliamentary constituency across the UK since before the pandemic, according to new analysis from LINK, highlighting the continued shift towards digital payments while underlining the importance of cash for millions of consumers.
The cash machine network operator compared withdrawals during the first six months of 2019 with the same period in 2026. It found significant declines in both the number and value of cash withdrawals across every part of the country.
Between January and June this year, consumers withdrew £36 billion through LINK’s network, equivalent to around £198 million a day. This was £21bn lower than during the same period in 2019.
There were also 500 million fewer ATM visits in the first half of 2026 compared with the corresponding period in 2019, as consumers increasingly use contactless cards, digital wallets and other electronic payment methods.
However, LINK said the rate of decline varied significantly between communities.
City centres and more affluent suburban areas, where digital payment adoption tends to be higher, generally recorded the largest falls in cash withdrawals. Rural and more deprived areas experienced slower declines, reflecting continued reliance on cash among some communities.
The Cities of London and Westminster recorded the largest reduction, with ATMs dispensing around £2m less per day than in 2019. By comparison, withdrawals in the Weald of Kent fell by around £17,000 a day, one of the smallest reductions recorded.
The latest findings follow LINK data published in May showing that cash use is also declining within retail channels. The proportion of consumers using cash in convenience stores during the previous two weeks fell from 26 per cent in June 2025 to 19 per cent in March 2026.
Overall, 61 per cent of consumers had used cash during the previous two weeks in March, down from 69 per cent in 2025 and 73 per cent in 2024.
Despite the decline, LINK said cash remained an important payment method for millions of people, particularly those on lower incomes who use it to manage their budgets.
“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,” Nick Quin, chief corporate affairs officer at LINK, said.
“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.”