Banking customers withdrew £83bn from ATMs in 2022, says Link network

Banking customers collectively withdrew £83 billion from cash machines last year, increasing from £79 billion in 2021, according to ATM network Link.

But Link said that ATM use is still unlikely to return to pre-pandemic levels.

In 2019, £115 billion was withdrawn from cash machines.

The average total value of ATM withdrawals per person over 16 in the UK was £1,564 last year, up from £1,462 in 2021, according to Link, which used Office for National Statistics (ONS) population data to make the calculations.

It said Northern Ireland remains the most “cash heavy” part of the UK. Banking customers in Northern Ireland withdrew an average of £2,266 in 2022.

Link said the number of ATMs fell from 52,547 in December 2021 to 51,253 in December 2022.

The decrease was driven by a fall in the number of fee-charging ATMs, from 11,691 in December 2021 to 10,384 in December 2022.

The number of free-to-use machines slightly increased, from 40,856 in December 2021 to 40,869 in December 2022.

Since 2019, Link has run a community request initiative that allows people to contact Link directly if they believe their community does not have good enough access to cash.

More than 150 community free-to-use ATMs have been installed by Link.

Graham Mott, director of strategy, Link, said: “While many people are now happy to use contactless or digital payments, our research shows there are very few people that are completely cashless.

“We also know that people are visiting cash machines less often, but on average take out more cash.

“There are still over five million people who rely on access to cash and face-to-face banking services.

“Digital payments and banking may be fantastic for some, but at the moment, they don’t work for all, which is why this legislation is so important.”

Here are the average total values of ATM withdrawals in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 per person aged over 16, according to Link:

– Northern Ireland, £2,931, £2,124, £2,070, £2,266

– London, £2,572, £1,838, £1,699, £1,744

– Scotland, £2,553, £1,670, £1,578, £1,686

– North West, £2,420, £1,745, £1,662, £1,709

– Yorkshire and the Humber, £2,379, £1,705, £1,624, £1,691

– North East, £2,378, £1,711, £1,632, £1,745

– West Midlands, £2,191, £1,612, £1,523, £1,579

– East Midlands, £2,017, £1,427, £1,352, £1,400

– Wales, £2,005, £1,407, £1,349, £1,454

– East of England, £1,894, £1,299, £1,223, £1,260

– South East, £1,780, £1,196, £1,115, £1,165

– South West, £1,684, £1,090, £1,023, £1,069

– UK average, £2,193, £1,534, £1,462, £1,564