Around £119 million less per day was typically withdrawn from Link cash machines across the UK in the first half of 2026, compared with the same period in 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic, according to the ATM and cash access network.

Link said every UK parliamentary constituency has seen a reduction in both the number and value of withdrawals over the period, with some city centres recording particularly fast moves away from ATM withdrawals.

Link recorded a 77% fall in the volume of cash withdrawals in Bristol Central, when comparing the first half of 2026 with the first half of 2019.

Over the same period, it recorded a 73% fall in cash withdrawal volumes in Holborn and St Pancras in London, the Cities of London and Westminster, Edinburgh South, Glasgow North, and Sheffield Central.

A drop of 72% in cash withdrawal volumes was recorded in Cambridge, Edinburgh North and Leith, and Edinburgh East and Musselburgh. A 71% fall was also recorded in York Central.

In Wales, Link recorded a 70% fall in ATM withdrawal volumes in Cardiff South and Penarth.

Some areas have seen much less steep declines, with a 35% fall in Link cash withdrawal volumes in the Weald of Kent in southern England and a 37% fall in West Tyrone in Northern Ireland.

Nick Quin, chief corporate affairs officer at Link, said: “Cash withdrawals are falling across every part of the country.

“More people find it convenient and prefer to pay using contactless cards and digital wallets on smartphones, but millions still rely on it day in, day out.

“People on lower incomes rely more heavily or entirely on cash to budget, which is why our job is to protect access to cash for as long as people need it.”

A recent report from UK Finance estimated that around 1.4 million UK adults mainly use cash for their day-to-day spending, but 19 million use cash once a month or less frequently.

Cash represented 8% of payments in 2025, falling from 9% in 2024 and 45% in 2015, according to UK Finance.

Banking hubs, whereby banks share services in a single space, have helped to fill some gaps left by bank branch closures, with the 250th banking hub expected to open soon.

People can also make some day-to-day transactions in Post Office branches.