Take note! 9 in 10 still want to use cash

BANKS may be pushing us to use cards, phones and computers for almost every transaction – but Britain isn’t ready to do away with notes and coins just yet.

Nine in ten people of all ages want the choice to continue using hard cash, research by the Post Office has found.

The findings come against a background of repeated bank computer failures and rising account fraud, and will put pressure on banks to end cost- cutting that has seen hundreds of branches closed and cash machines removed.

Some 53 per cent of those polled rely on cash as regularly as they do cards – 51 per cent. Convenience is key, with one in four preferring to have a choice in how they make different payments. Twenty-three per cent feel more in control of outgoings if they make physical payments. While 14 per cent agree that they feel more protected from the risks of fraud if they use cash.

Martin Kearsley, from the Post Office, said: ‘With 95 per cent using cash at various times to fund their spending on everyday essentials, it is vital people have continued access to cash and choice in how and when they use it.’