This is an overview of geographical cash access coverage in the UK at the end of the first quarter (January to March) of 2023. This monitoring forms part of the FCA’s work on access to cash.
On a quarterly basis, the FCA, along with the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR), gather and update data on access to cash. This captures the locations of cash access points and other relevant information like temporary closures, opening hours, and accessibility. This data covers brick-and-mortar, mobile bank, and building society branches, automated teller machines (ATMs), and the Post Office network. We supplement this information with annual data on cashback locations.
The FCA estimates that for access to larger banks and building societies providing Personal Current Accounts (PCA) and Post Office: all branches, including mobile bank branches:
- 97.4% of the UK urban population are currently within 1 mile of a free-to-use cash access point offering deposits
- 98.3% of the UK rural population are currently within 3 miles of a free-to-use cash access point offering deposits
The FCA estimates that for access to any bank, building society, Post Office branch, or any free ATM:
- 99.3% of the UK urban population are currently within 1 mile of a free-to-use cash access point offering withdrawals
- 98.7% of the UK rural population are currently within 3 miles of a free-to-use cash access point offering withdrawals
For the UK as a whole, estimates of coverage at 1 mile and 3 miles have seen little clear change since 2022 Q4.
- The number of brick-and-mortar branches of the larger bank and building societies providing cash services fell by 90 branches, a decrease of 2%.
- The number of post offices was stable.
