Urban and rural cash access metrics
The Financial Conduct Authority has published data tracking geographic cash access coverage across the UK for the second half of 2024. According to the report, 97.1% of the UK urban population live within 1 mile of a free-to-use cash access point offering deposits through designated banks, building societies, and the Post Office. For rural populations, 97.4% live within 3 miles of a deposit-offering access point.
Withdrawals and broader availability
When factoring in any bank, building society, Post Office branch, or free ATM, 99.6% of the UK urban population reside within 1 mile of a free-to-use cash access point offering withdrawals. In rural areas, 98.1% of the population live within 3 miles of a free withdrawal point. The regulator notes that headline coverage figures remain broadly comparable with previous data publications and continue to show more than 95% of the UK population within the distances set out in the Treasury's Cash Access Policy Statement.
Dataset composition
The dataset comprises 59,830 reported UK cash access points and 556,609 cashback locations.
Branch closures
For temporary closures, 15% of reporting designated branches experienced closures of at least 1 day.