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Will your business continue to accept cash payments?

Journalist: Jon King, Daily Express Online

ended 20. March 2025

More chains are continuing to refuse cash payments despite more than two million pensioners regularly using it.

The Daily Express is looking for strong views of 2 or 3 sentences on how important cash payments are for businesses.

Neither the Government nor the Bank of England appear inclined to change the law to make it mandatory to accept cash.

Does it have a future?

 

7 responses from the Newspage community

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Editor
Bob Singh
Founder at Chess Mortgages
Cash may not be King after all.

Many shops now accept only cards or touch payments leaving many who prefer to feel and touch their money out in the cold.

Whilst this may apply to the older generation it certainly isn’t exclusive to that age group. Cash in an account when your phone battery has died or you don’t have your card with you could put people in a vulnerable position.

Till such time we stop printing cash it should be law that a retailer has to have a cash alternative payment option.





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Emma Jones
Managing Director at Whenthebanksaysno.co.uk
Though many would argue we're moving inexorably towards a cashless society, the transition needs to be at the right pace. And right now, that doesn't appear to be the case. Certain businesses refusing to accept cash is putting many consumers, often the elderly, in a difficult position as cash is in their DNA. Businesses taking digital payments only may be looking forwards but it's important that they look back, too.
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Pete Mugleston
Mortgage Advisor & Managing Director at onlinemortgageadvisor.co.uk
Cash still plays a vital role in the economy, particularly for older people and those who rely on it for budgeting. While digital payments dominate, businesses refusing cash risk alienating customers and creating financial exclusion. Money is legal tender, and sidelining it entirely ignores the fact millions still depend on it. While the shift to digital has many benefits, cash should remain an option to ensure accessibility for all. Businesses that refuse it may gain efficiency but risk losing trust and customers in the process.
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Editor
Tony Redondo
Founder at Cosmos Currency Exchange
Cash payments ensure inclusivity, offering a simple, tangible option for those wary of digital systems or unable to access them, and businesses that ignore this risk alienating a significant customer base including over two million pensioners who rely on it daily. Despite the rise of digital payments, cash offers immediate access to funds, eliminates chargebacks, and provides a cost-effective option by avoiding card processing fees. Despite the shift toward cashless trends, cash still has a future—its persistence reflects a practical need that neither Government nor Bank of England policy can fully dismiss.
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Legend
Racheal Straughan
Founder at Mayfli
Cash is vital for small businesses and communities, ensuring every penny goes back into local trade rather than being lost to bank fees. Many older customers rely on cash and find digital payments difficult, yet they are being pushed aside in favor of a cashless society. This shift is driven by big corporations and the government, but small businesses want to keep cash—it’s flexible, inclusive, and supports financial independence. Forcing businesses and customers into a card-only system is unfair, and self-checkouts replacing staffed tills only add to the problem. Cash must remain an option for the sake of both businesses and consumers.
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Legend
Jenny Blyth
Small business owner at Storm in a Teacup Gifts
Cash payments will continue to have a vital role in my business and I don’t foresee that changing. We will never ostracise our customers who prefer cash and for our smaller gift items cash means we aren’t charged a ludicrous fee for the transaction.
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Steve Humphrey
Adviser & Founder at The Mortgage Pod
Cash is king, especially for small local businesses that rely on it to manage costs and avoid high card processing fees. Removing cash payments risks excluding millions, particularly pensioners who depend on it daily. It absolutely needs to have a future.