Vanishing ATMs ‘a concern’
CASH machines are disappearing from the streets, with Leicester among the areas seeing the fastest reduction, according to a report.
A study found that between January 2019 and September 2020 the number of ATMs in the UK dropped from 62,967 to 55,674, with an average of more than 340 machines disappearing every month.
Leicester lost 31 of its machines, meaning there are now 167. The decline was the 13th highest in the country.
Merchant payment provider Dojo, which published the study, said the decline raised concerns for vulnerable people who rely on cash.
Dojo said: “It’s important vulnerable members of our society have access to cash or suitable financial services, so there’s a lot to consider before we completely oust cash.”
One person told researchers: “I am horrified that I can never go shopping again because I don’t have a credit card and shops are not accepting money.
“As a railway and postal worker, I have always lived on a low wage and the way in which I have managed that without going into debt is by using cash.”
Tony Donovan, executive director of Age UK Leicester Shire and Rutland, said: “We had thousands of letters voicing concerns about a cashless society.
“Older people feel left behind by technology. They budget very carefully and feel confident about cash in their pocket.
“The more we talk about scams and fraud, the more they get worried about financial technology.”
Many bank branches have disappeared in the past few years, with Santander recently announcing it was closing branches in the city and across the county.
Mr Donovan said: “These are welleducated people who feel they should be allowed to do what they want with their money and not be dictated to.”
Dojo said: “The threat of the virus has led many businesses to embrace the use of cards, especially contactless.
“This is a more hygienic option in a time when physical contact points should be minimised.
“A significant decline in the use of cash as a result of the pandemic has, by extension, led to a reduction in the use of cash machines.
“ATMs present their own problem in the age of Covid-19 as they operate using communal keypads and surfaces touched by a number of different people.”
Dojo head of customer insight Jon Knott said: “During the course of the pandemic, the make-up of the British high street has changed enormously.
“The contactless limit could increase once again, from £45 to £100, allowing people more convenience to tap for in-store purchases.
“With more and more people opting for Apple and Google Pay, which have no capped limit for contactless payments, consumers are welcoming the efficiency and speed at which they can purchase larger value products and services.
“It is no surprise then that the use of cash is decreasing, making ATMs redundant.”
HIGHEST RATES OF DECLINE