NoteMachine is concerned about recent moves by businesses to only accept card payments as it will severely impact those most vulnerable. Many of these people are currently self-isolating and rely on neighbours, friends and families to do their food shopping for them which needs to be done with cash.
Removing this payment method at such a critical time would be a devastating blow to many people. It is essential that supermarkets, pharmacies, convenience stores, take-aways and all other businesses continue to accept both cash and card payments as another vital way we can work together to support the most vulnerable in our communities.
Find out moreKeeping our ATM sites running is paramount to the country and we have CIT operatives filling the ATMs, engineers servicing them, our helpdesk managing calls from the public as well as all the other departments that support them and the business.
Now at a time when bank branches have shut, people are relying on cash to budget and others are helping the most vulnerable to ensure they have food and groceries; NoteMachine staff continue to keep the ATM network available to all.
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NoteMachine is concerned about recent moves by businesses to only accept card payments as it will severely impact those most vulnerable..
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We work with many high street banks and building societies, offering all-in-one management solutions for their ATM networks, whether remote or in-branch. We’re proud of the reputation we’ve built for integrity and exceptional service.
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21,000,000,000
Transactions in the last 12 months
11,000
Cash machines and growing
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People using our ATMs every month
NoteMachine has been successful in acquiring non-branch ATM networks from a number of high street banks and building societies. We would welcome the opportunity to acquire further ATM estates.
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People have been left unable to buy basics such as groceries and medicine as a concerning problem with cash acceptance in the UK grows, according to Which? Original article by James Andrews, Money Editor - https://www.mirror.co.uk/money/brits-being-blocked-buying-food-22912883Shoppers have reported being told that cash is "a thing of the past" and some believe the coronavirus crisis is being used as an excuse to ditch physical money, the consumer group found.It warned the viability of the cash system is being threatened as some shops have declined payments using banknotes and coins during the crisis.Which? is asking businesses to show understanding and flexibility to customers who may only be able to pay in cash. Richard Piggin, head of external affairs and campaigns at Which? said: "While many of us may have noticed shops displaying signs that they now only accept digital payments, our research shows that the rapid move towards a cashless society risks excluding the most vulnerable from being able to pay for vital products and services."We're alarmed at the reports of people leaving food and medicine behind because they can't pay with cash and it underlines how important it is to have a coordinated approach to protecting the fragile cash system." Peter McNamara, chief executive of NoteMachine, said: "By refusing to accept cash for basic necessities such as food and medicine, shops are actively discriminating against a large section of society, many of whom may not have access to contactless payment at all."We also need to realise that it’s not only the elderly and vulnerable that regularly want to pay with cash. In fact analysis shows that 43 million consumers – the majority of the UK adult population - were using the LINK network pre-lockdown to withdraw cash each month, and we’re seeing numbers starting to climbing back up towards this figure."Of the reports that Which? received, nearly four in 10 (38%) related to a problem when paying for food or groceries, one in seven (14%) were linked to leisure activities, such as visiting a coffee shop or restaurant, and one in 10 (11%) concerned parking.Two-fifths (43%) who reported being unable to pay with cash said that they did not have another payment method with them.While some people were able to go to another shop to buy what they wanted with cash instead, or had someone available to make the purchase on their behalf, nearly a third (32%) were unable to buy items or services at all.Which? said 38% were left empty handed when they had problems paying for groceries, while the figure stood at nearly a fifth (17%) for people trying to buy medicine.Just 3% of people who had payment problems were able to get what they wanted online instead.Which? believes its findings could indicate a much larger problem and further work is needed to understand the scale and pace of cash being refused.The Government plans to legislate to protect cash and, as part of this, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) could be given a beefed up role in overseeing cash.Which? said it supports the proposal regarding the FCA and wants to see the regulator track levels of cash acceptance.During its research, Which? heard from Thomas Scobbie in Stirling, who said: "The reason I don't use a card is because I worry about the people that are able to clone cards and scam people and being on a fixed income, I simply couldn't survive if I lost any of that money."Which? also heard from Andy Fisher in Beverley who said: "I was told by one shop assistant that cash was 'a thing of the past' when I tried to buy some stationary, which made me feel uncomfortable and patronised."I feel that coronavirus is being used as an excuse to get rid of cash but lots of people locally still need it, such as the elderly or vulnerable."A mother whose adult son is on the autism spectrum also contacted Which?She said: "For him, it's been incredibly difficult trying to adapt to the world we're currently living in and robbing him of his ability to transact and feel like a normal member of the public has caused him a great deal of stress."John Howells, CEO of ATM network Link said: "Not everyone can or is ready to use digital or card payments and our own research shows that it is often the most vulnerable and deprived members of the community that rely on cash."Today's research from Which? is worrying because we can't afford to sleepwalk into a cashless society where people are left behind."Natalie Ceeney, chair of the Access to Cash Review said: "I have sympathy for small businesses who are finding cash harder to bank."But businesses who don't accept cash are saying to the most vulnerable in society: 'You're not welcome here'."Right now, as so many people are going through hardship and isolation, it's critical that no one gets excluded."
Find out moreThe consumer group warned the cash system is being threatened as shops have declined payments using banknotes and coins during the coronavirus crisis.Original article by Simon Read, Personal Finance Reporter at BBC News - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54710897Thousands of people have been prevented from paying with cash in recent months.This risks excluding vulnerable people, the campaign group said.Some shops have refused payments with banknotes and coins during the coronavirus crisis due to social distancing concerns, but this has threatened the viability of the cash system, it warned.Thomas Scobie of Stirling, who lives on universal credit, said: "When shops started to accept only card payment it meant I couldn't buy the essentials I needed to feed myself."He has a chronic health condition and a mental health disorder, so found the process of finding places to shop that would accept his cash "a real struggle and depressing"."The reason I don't use a card is because I worry about the people that are able to clone cards and scam people and being on a fixed income, I simply couldn't survive if I lost any of that money," he said.Which? is asking businesses to show greater understanding and flexibility to customers who may only be able to pay in cash."The rapid move towards a cashless society risks excluding the most vulnerable from being able to pay for vital products and services," said Richard Piggin, head of external affairs and campaigns at Which?."We're alarmed at the reports of people leaving food and medicine behind because they can't pay with cash and it underlines how important it is to have a co-ordinated approach to protecting the fragile cash system."Natalie Ceeney, chairwoman of the Access to Cash Review, said: "Businesses who don't accept cash are saying to the most vulnerable in society: 'You're not welcome here'."Right now, as so many people are going through hardship and isolation, it's critical that no one gets excluded."The government has plans to make rules to protect cash and, as part of this, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) could oversee that.Which? said it supports the proposal regarding the FCA and wants to see the regulator track levels of cash acceptance."The government has already proposed giving the FCA responsibility for cash," said My Piggin."It's vital that acceptance is also treated as a priority as part of this, as commitments to safeguarding cash access will be severely undermined if people are left with nowhere to spend it."The Access to Cash Review revealed eight million people were at risk in the UK from the demise of cash.Nearly 2,500 people responded to Which?'s call for people to report their payment problems last month.Two fifths of those who reported being unable to pay with cash said that they did not have access to another payment method.'Patronised'Some people were able to go to another shop to buy what they wanted but almost a third were unable to buy items or services at all.Which? said two out of five people were left empty handed when they had problems paying for groceries, while nearly a fifth had problems trying to buy medicine.Andy Fisher in Beverley said: "I was told by one shop assistant that cash was 'a thing of the past' when I tried to buy some stationery, which made me feel uncomfortable and patronised."I feel that coronavirus is being used as an excuse to get rid of cash but lots of people locally still need it, such as the elderly or vulnerable."John Howells, chief executive of cash machine network Link, said: "We can't afford to sleepwalk into a cashless society where people are left behind."Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said: "Many older people rely on cash and it's really disappointing that even after venturing out to do their shopping, which for some feels like a significant risk at the moment, they may then be unable to buy their essential items."
Find out moreBy Victoria Bischoff for The Daily MailThere is no doubt that the most hygienic way to pay for something is with a tap of a contactless card.But if you're spending more than the £45 contactless limit, you either have to use a grubby card machine, or hand over cash.Yet despite both options posing a similar health risk for those who do not wash their hands regularly, it is only cash that is being demonised as a possible means of catching coronavirus.As we reveal, this scaremongering is troubling, with more and more shops up and down the country ditching coins and notes altogether.Britain is nowhere near ready to go cashless. We have been told time and again that if we do not act now to protect cash, we will leave millions of elderly, vulnerable people and rural dwellers behind. And while technology can be brilliant, it is also temperamental.When the Visa payment system crashed in June 2018, thousands were left stranded at supermarket checkouts unable to use their cards. That day should have served as a wake-up call for the powers that be over the chaos we'd face if there was a more serious system failure, and we didn't have cash as an alternative payment method.With bank branches closing at a record pace, many small business owners have already had to ditch cash because it is too costly and time-consuming to travel miles each day to deposit takings.If more businesses follow suit due to the pandemic, banks will have yet another excuse to shut even more branches and cash machines — which would be devastating for the many who rely on them for everyday banking. In his March Budget, Chancellor Rishi Sunak pledged to introduce new laws to protect cash, and it is vital he acts on this promise.If he waits until the coronavirus threat has passed, we could find that cash has already been thrown on the scrapheap — hastened to its demise by pressure from firms who stand to benefit financially if we all switch to cards.Ministers have said throughout the current crisis that we should be guided by the science.Well, the experts say that if we all wash our hands regularly, touching cash is no riskier than touching any other hard surface, such as a shopping basket. So let's take heed and refuse to allow corona-phobia to kill off our cash.Flying the flagMoney Mail has repeatedly highlighted how travel firms are refusing to refund holidaymakers for cancelled trips.But one airline and package holiday provider is emerging as something of a hero amid the chaos.One reader, Mike, described Jet2 as 'a beacon of light'. He said that after requesting a refund for a cancelled trip, there was no pressure to take a voucher. The money was back in his bank account within six days — two weeks before his planned departure date.Another reader, Nigel, said he received his money back for a cancelled city break within just 48 hours. And Anne, who also received a swift refund for her cancelled flight to Cyprus, said: 'Jet2 has been brilliant and deserves huge recognition for going above and beyond.' Perhaps other travel firms should take note that all of these readers said the excellent service they had received at such a difficult time meant they would most certainly be using Jet2 for future holidays.Delivery horrorOver the past few weeks we have exposed how vulnerable families are going weeks without vital supplies, with many forced to stay up into the small hours to get a supermarket delivery slot.The response to our investigation was one of the biggest we've seen in recent memory, so thank you.We have now sent a dossier of hundreds of your emails (with personal details removed) to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, to be considered as part of its inquiry into food supply during the pandemic. We will update you as soon as it publishes its findings.In the meantime, good luck with the vital business of getting some food in your fridge.See the original article on VICTORIA BISCHOFF: We can't afford to lose cash, as grubby card machines pose a similar risk to coins and notes
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