Skip to content
Search
AI Powered
Latest Stories

LINK installs 50th community request ATM

Cash machine operator LINK has opened its 50th free to use ATM in Kinloss, Moray as part of an initiative to ensure every single UK high street has free access to cash.

LINK said it has so far received 3,800 requests from members of the public since launching the initiative in October 2019, with funding from the banking industry.


The operator added that it is still looking to hear from communities where there is a high street with a minimum of five shops without free access to cash from via a Post Office or ATM within 1km or where circumstances such as geography or traffic may make travel to the nearest access point difficult.

When a location is identified to have a problem, LINK will visit to see if there is an appropriate location to install a new free to use ATM or whether an existing pay to use machine can become free to use. The operator expects to install 100 ATMs in communities to guarantee free access to cash.

“It’s great to see so many communities contacting us, we’ve responded to all enquiries to date and will continue to install free ATMs for communities that need them,” commented Nick Quin, LINK’s head of financial inclusion.

“We’re delighted to be supporting communities across the country with free access to cash. COVID-19 has proven that the most vulnerable people in society will continue to require free access to cash and we’re determined to respond to that need.”

While the pandemic has seen many people increasingly using digital payment methods, research conducted by the FCA highlights that there are approximately five million adults that continue to rely on cash.

“If you think your community has a problem, then firstly we always ask people to check the LINK ATM locator, as the majority of locations have good access. Not everyone is aware that there’s a free to use machine nearby or that the Post Office provide an over-the-counter service. We’ve heard from communities where ATMs are in shops that have restricted opening times, or on the other side of a busy road, and wherever there is a genuine issue we will act. Communities will always know their areas better than we can, so we want to hear from more,” Quin added.

More for you

 ATM machine
Brits pull out nearly £80bn from LINK ATMs in 2024
Photo: iStock

Uneven transition: Where cash still clings on in Britain

The UK’s transition away from cash continues to accelerate, nearly five years after the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a report released today by LINK, the UK's cash access and ATM network.

While the trend towards a low-cash society is clear, the pace of this shift varies significantly across the country, indicating a complex and evolving payment landscape.

Keep ReadingShow less
Warning raised around slush drinks

slush drinks

iStock image

Warning raised against 'poor transparency' around slush drinks

Warnings have been issued against slush ice drinks by medical researchers, saying that poor transparency around slush ice drink glycerol concentration makes estimating a safe dose tricky.

Public health advice on the safe consumption of glycerol-containing slush ice drinks, also known as slushees, may need revising, stated medical researchers after carrying out a detailed review of the medical notes of 21 children who became acutely unwell shortly after drinking one of these products.

Keep ReadingShow less
Rising crime is devastating the Scottish convenience sector.

SGF Crime Report & Safer Business Guide

Photo: iStock

Crime devastating Scottish convenience sector: SGF

Retail crime is on the rise and the impact on staff, businesses and communities can be overwhelming, shows a Scottish retail industry's report released today (13), prompting calls from retailers for urgent support.

Figures published in the SGF Crime Report & Safer Business Guide 2024/25, reveal the appalling escalation in retail crime in recent years is only getting worse, while the sector continues to call for urgent action from government.

Keep ReadingShow less
UK government abolishes Payment Systems Regulator shifting responsibilities to FCA
Photo: iStock

Concerns raised over government's decision to abolish Payment Systems Regulator

As the government has confirmed that it will abolish the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) as part of its drive to cut red tape and boost economic growth, payments platform Ecommpay voiced concerns over the potential risks of dismantling a dedicated regulator at a time of heightened scrutiny in the payments sector.

Willem Wellinghoff, chief compliance officer and UK chair of Ecommpay, acknowledged the government’s commitment to "streamlining regulation, simplifying the amount of regulators that companies have to manage, and fostering economic growth through its deregulatory agenda."

Keep ReadingShow less
Digital wallets are set to account for 33% of in-store payments in the UK by 2030

UK payment landscape cash decline and rise of digital payments

iStock image

'UK embraces digital payments, yet cash remains key'

While digital payments dominate, with digital wallets set to rise to 33 per cent of in-store spending by 2030, traditional methods continue to hold ground in a fragmented UK market, shows a recent report mapping the UK’s payment landscape over the past decade.

According to the 10th edition of the Worldpay Global Payments Report (GPR),, the UK has witnessed a significant decline in cash use over the past decade, with its share of point-of-sale (POS) spending dropping from 32 per cent to 10 per cent between 2014 and 2024, accounting for £128 billion of in-store transactions.

Keep ReadingShow less