Fears for vulnerable people as crisis ‘accelerates shift to cashless society’
ONE IN 10 people have been refused by shops when trying to pay in cash during the lockdown, according to new research published today.
The consumer group, Which?, said it is concerned the coronavirus crisis is accelerating a shift towards a cashless society, potentially leaving vulnerable people without a “payment lifeline” for essentials. A survey of more than 2,000 people on May 6 and 7 found that 10 per cent said that, since the lockdown started, they had been turned down by shops when trying to pay for items with banknotes and coins.
Just over a quarter said they were left unable to make a purchase on at least one occasion as they had no other way of paying. One in 14 people have found it harder to take out cash since the pandemic started.
‘It’s vital that the already fragile cash system is not left to collapse completely.’
Gareth Shaw, the head of money at Which?, said: “The coronavirus outbreak has shown that cash remains vital to many consumers, particularly for vulnerable people who rely on it to pay for essential supplies.
“As a result, it’s vital that the already fragile cash system is not left to collapse completely as the
UK’s shift to a cashless society accelerates. The Government must urgently press ahead with the legislation it has already committed to before it becomes obsolete, as failure to do so risks excluding millions of people from engaging in the economy.”
The research also found that 16 per cent of people had been helping someone outside their immediate household to manage their finances or order food and essentials. Nearly a third had bought food from a shop for others and been paid for it in cash, and 29 per cent who had ordered items for someone online had been paid back in cash.
Officials from Which? said that, with many retailers encouraging non-cash payments and banks having reduced branch opening hours, they want to see action to ensure millions of people who rely on cash are not left abandoned.