Access to banking servides and cash

[Margaid]

This is something close to my heart. I do have access to two cash machines and the Post Office, but only one cash machine is available after shop and PO shut. We lost our last bank several years ago and the nearest branch of my bank is half an hours drive and not in a town I visit often. I am someone who uses cash a lot. I wouldn't cope with contactless cards. If there is money in my purse I can spend it, if there's none then I can't and have to wait until I next have some in my bank account to withdraw. In this area there are lots of people who run their finances like this and it means the shopkeepers need to be able to deposit cash easily. If they pay cash in at the Post Office there is a delay of at least a day before it is credited to the account/ Not good when you're a small trader with regular bills to pay.

Have you seen this?
https://bit.ly/3DELCWa

Thousands of bank branches and ATMs are disappearing from high streets across the UK. For many, losing their local bank isn’t just an inconvenience. Elderly people, rural communities and people without access to the internet are being cut off from vital banking services - and easy access to their own money.

But we have a chance to reverse this trend - and keep these important services open: the government has launched a consultation on how to protect our access to cash. It could include new rules to make it harder for banks to close branches if it cuts people off from services. And they’re asking the public to have their say.

But you can bet that banks who want to put cost cutting before the communities they serve will be feeding in too. So that's where we come in. If thousands of us sign a huge petition asking the government to put in place legal protections to make sure we keep our access to banking, sending a powerful message - and drowning out those who want otherwise.

Will you join me and sign the petition today?
https://bit.ly/3DELCWa

 

[bigyetiman]

Certainly will do, we have just had our Barclays, Halifax. Lloyds and Santander all close their branches locally, which leaves us with a Nationwide or Nat West which aren't open everyday and the cash machines are inside. This everyone with no options but a half hour journey by car to the nearest town with banks/cash dispensers, if you need to pay a cheque in it's a nightmare as non of the machines take them, apart from Santander and if that's not your bank your are hunting for a bank that's open

 

[Icemaiden]

Signed as requested. I live 8 miles from the nearest cashpoint. Our last bank closed several years ago, putting a huge sign in the window that said
"This branch has closed. Nat West - Helpful Banking"
:evil:

It's the closest that I've ever come to defacing a building with angry graffiti.

We're now totally dependent on our village post office for access to cash & banking services. That's OK for those who can get there between 9am & 5.30pm but no use for those who can't...

 

[dianefairhall]

Signed. Hope it does some good. We just have a Post Office in our local shop otherwise it's a half-hour drive to Stornoway and that won't change.