This is how many cash machines Sheffield has lost in just two years

There are fewer cash machines in SheffieldThere are fewer cash machines in Sheffield
There are fewer cash machines in Sheffield
Sheffield has lost more than 50 of its cash machines in less than two years – including dozens that are free to use – figures have shown.

There were some 507 free cash machines in Sheffield at the end of 2017, according to data from the cash machine network Link.

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But the latest figures show this had fallen to 474 by February 2019, a reduction of seven per cent.

Overall, there are were around 574 cash machines in Sheffield in February, including those that charge a fee for withdrawals, down from 631 in 2017.

Some Sheffield supermarket self checkouts only accept card payments, and traders including those at food hall Cutlery Works in Kelham Island only accept payments via card or an app, as “cashless” businesses become more common.

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An independent review into the accessibility of cash in the UK warned in March that millions of people could be left behind if the country "sleepwalks into a cashless society".

The report found around 8 million adults were still reliant on cash and would struggle to cope in an entirely digital economy. These included people in rural communities, those on a low income who may struggle to budget without cash, and older people or people with disabilities who rely on cash for their independence.

Natalie Ceeney, chair of the Access to Cash Review, said: "There are worrying signs that our cash system is falling apart. ATM and bank branch closures are just the tip of the iceberg – underneath there is a huge infrastructure becoming increasingly unviable as cash use declines.”

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