...and it must work to protect cash

THIS Thursday marks the deadline for the Government receiving feedback on its proposals for keeping access to cash on this country’s high streets. The legislation that follows will determine whether cash is available nationwide in the years to come, or whether it will be left to wither on the vine. Given our longstanding Keep Our Cash Campaign, we hope cash is very much kept alive.

It’s vital that the Government’s legislation is robust and puts a statutory duty on the banks to maintain access to cash on the high street – through a network of free-to-use ATMs and branches, as well as newstyle community banks. With legislation unlikely to get on the statute book until 2023, it is imperative that in the meantime the banks aren’t allowed to demolish their ATM and branch networks in the pursuit of profit and a cashless society.

The regulator – yes, the FCA – should be bold (again) and insist on an ATM and bank branch closure moratorium until any legislation is in place.