This research was led by the University of Bristol, in collaboration with the Financial Conduct Authority and the Payment Systems Regulator. It brings together data from multiple industry sources to, for the first time, provide a comprehensive map of cash access points across the UK.
The main focus of the research was to examine the overall coverage of cash access points based on geographical location, including bank and building society branches, Post Office branches, free-to-use and pay-to-use ATMs, and cashback locations. Our dataset contains over 110,000 cash access points in total.
Through this, we identify the current availability of cash in different areas such as high streets and neighbourhoods, and also the different types of cash access points available in these areas. The report also discusses trends in cash access in the UK, current gaps in the coverage of the cash network, and the changing nature of cash access points.
Related publications: Where to withdraw?: Mapping access to cash across the UK and Where to Withdraw: National Mapping of Access to Cash
Research lead: Dr Daniel Tischer
Other researchers: Jamie Evans, Katie Cross and Sara Davies (Personal Finance Research Centre @ School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol); Richard Scott (Financial Conduct Authority); Isobel Oxley (Payment Systems Regulator).
Research partners: LINK, Post Office, UK Finance (as representative for banking and payments industry); the Financial Conduct Authority; Payment Systems Regulator.
Funded by: LINK
Start/end dates: May - Nov 2020