What’s Missing From LINKS 2025 Figures? A LOT OF CASH!

LINK report that in 2025, compared to 2024, ATM transaction volumes were 1,272m (down 8.3%) and withdrawal values £76,673m (down 4.2%).

BUT that is NOT the total amount of cash withdrawn by the British public in 2025.

FAR FROM IT.

What we actually need to see in relation to UK cash withdrawals is NOT this very limited information from LINK Scheme Ltd.

We need to see, in one presentation, the statistics for ALL cash withdrawals via EVERY channel using UK issued debit cards for 2025, with a comparison against the previous year(s):

* Number of LINK ATMs; number of LINK ATM withdrawals; value of LINK withdrawals.

* Number of on-us cash withdrawals via ATMs; value of on-us cash withdrawals; number of ATMs offering on-us transactions.

* Number of counter cash withdrawals at bank and building society branches; value of counter cash withdrawals at bank and building society branches; number of branches offering counter cash withdrawals.

* Number of cash withdrawals at post office counters; value of counter cash withdrawals at post offices; number of post office branches at which the service is offered.

* Number of cash withdrawals at Cash Access UK Banking Hub counters; value of counter cash withdrawals at Banking Hub counters; number of Banking Hubs at which the service is offered.

* Number of LiNK “Cash at the till” transactions; value of LINK “Cash at the till” transactions; number of participating stores.

* Number of Lloyds Banking Group ( Lloyds Bank; Bank of Scotland; Halifax) cash withdrawals via PayPoint plc; value of Lloyds Banking Group cash withdrawals via PayPoint plc; number of participating PayPoint plc stores.

* Number of “Tradional Cash Back With Purchase” transactions; value of “Traditional Cash Back With Purchase” transactions; number of participating stores.

In addition, the following cash statistics are required:

* Number of cash withdrawals via Open Banking; value of cash withdrawals via Open Banking; number of participating devices.

* number of non-UK issued debit card transactions made at UK ATMs; value of non-UK issued debit card transactions made at UK ATMs; number of ATMs offering such transactions.

* number of UK-issued credit card transactions at UK ATMs; value of UK-issued credit card transactions at UK ATMs; number of ATMs offering such transactions.

* number of non- UK-issued credit card transactions at UK ATMs; value of non-UK-issued credit card transactions at UK ATMs; number of ATMs offering such transactions.

The statistics detailed above will give a far more complete picture of cash withdrawn in the UK in 2025, the total value of which may have been UP or Down. This cannot be judged based on the deliberately very limited statistics produced by LINK Scheme Ltd.

What is the REAL total?

Rather than the around £76 Billion reported by LINK, the amount of cash withdrawn by the public in the UK is likely to have been £120 Billion or HIGHER!

Why are such figures not published?

BECAUSE THEY DO NOT FIT THE ANTI-CASH AGENDA THAT IS FAVOURED BY ELEMENTS OF THE UK FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY AND HM TREASURY.

The Financial Conduct Authority should be ordering the production of such statistics by the relevant service providers AND publish them, because the Financial Conduct Authority cannot carry out effective oversight and enforcement of UK cash access - working with the Payment Systems Regulator - without such statistics.

The Payment Choice Alliance “War On Cashless” in 2026 includes ensuring cash access is properly monitored, measured and maintained.

IT WILL BE.