Major change coming to 1,000 cash machines – and shoppers won’t be happy | The Sun

A MAJOR change is coming to 1,000 cash machines and it's another blow for shoppers.

Cash machine operator Notemachine is increasing the amount of ATMs that charge customers to take out cash.

The company will convert 15% of its currently free-to-use machines over the next few months.

It means 1,000 more machines will start charging anyone who withdraws money.

The ATM provider already charges at 2,500 of its cash machines after introducing fees in 2019.

The latest change means 40% of the company's cash points will charge customers taking out money.

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Shoppers will be charged 65p per withdrawal.

Those in locations where ATMs aren't used as much compared to others will be the ones to incur a fee.

Notemachine said that where ATM operators aren't being used as much compared to others are most likely to be the ones that will charge for withdrawals.

Steve Makaritis, NoteMachine's boss, said the move comes after years of campaigning to sustain the funding that supports free-to-use ATMs.

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"The Government legislation protects ‘access to cash’, but crucially fails to address the broken funding model that is forcing ATM operators to convert free cash machines.

"Under current legislation, only a tiny fraction of ATMs are ‘protected’ – receiving the right level of funding to keep them operational on a free-to-use basis. 

"Unless this issue is addressed, there is a real possibility that
UK consumers will be left with a very small number of free-to-use ATMs."

Cash machines that do charge will state how much the charge is before you use it.

It comes just days after major banks announced more of their branches would shut their doors this year.

Lloyds Banking Group and rival NatWest will both be shutting the doors of yet another raft of bank branches in 2023.

At Lloyds Banking Group, affected brands include Halifax, Lloyds Bank and Bank of Scotland.

While both Natwest and branches of its sister bank Royal Bank of Scotland will shut too.

The closures come as major high street banks move more of their banking services online.

Banks across the country have scaled back their branch networks.

The number of people using in-person services has been falling for years as more and more people do their banking online.

But an increasing number of elderly and rural customers are cut off.

Experts have feared that the decline in banks and cash machines could have a negative impact on them.

How to save on withdrawing cash

There are tens of thousands of ATM machines across the UK which allow people to withdraw cash.

Most withdrawals are from free-to-use machines, but some charge you.

But there are other ways to withdraw cash for free

You can use one of the Post Office’s 11,635 branches to perform basic banking tasks like taking out cash.

It's free, you can just head to your local Post Office to do so.

However, you can't open new bank accounts or take personal loans and mortgages.

You can also search for free cash machines ahead of taking out money.

LINK offers a free tool which you can use to find your nearest free ATM.

Just Google "LINK cash locator" and it'll come up – you can then input your postcode or wherever you are at the time.

Banking hubs offer traditional services and allow people to withdraw and deposit cash for free.

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So far, they have been set up in four locations around the UK to help plug the gap — in Brixham, Devon; Cambuslang near Glasgow; Cottingham, East Yorks; and Rochford, Essex.

Nine others were announced recently, while a new company, Cash Access UK, has been set up to oversee more.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected]

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