TWO Scottish locations have been chosen to take part in an initiative to help improve communities’ access to cash.
Denny in Falkirk and Cambuslang in South Lanarkshire are among the eight places across Britain chosen to take part in an initiative to help improve communities’ access to cash.
The areas which successfully applied to take part in the Community Access to Cash Pilot (CACP) initiative will work with the banking industry to look at solutions to keeping cash viable for people and businesses.
Ways to make improvements could include, for example, installing new ATMs, having a place for retailers to deposit cash locally, or sharing bank branch facilities.
There will also be a focus on “digital inclusion”. Better broadband connections or improved digital skills could be ways to help people to access money.
Solutions could vary depending on the needs of a community. The community is keen to support financially vulnerable customers in accessing cash, and small businesses.
It has seen a reduction in access to cash facilities.
Both Scottish area have seen access to cash dwindle in recent times, with Cambuslang being left “unbanked” following bank branch closures in quick succession. In Denny 16% of the population over 65 years old.
The other locations chosen are Ampthill in Bedfordshire, Burslem in Staffordshire, Botton Village in North Yorkshire, Hay-on-Wye in Powys, Lulworth in Dorset and Rochford in Essex. Further locations will be confirmed in the coming weeks.
The pilot initiative is led by Natalie Ceeney, who chaired the Access to Cash Review. The findings will be published in early 2021.
Cash use has plummeted during the coronavirus outbreak, with many shops encouraging people to pay by card and people visiting ATMs less often. According to UK Finance, 7.4 million people rarely or never used cash in 2019 – but 2.1 million used cash regularly.
Ceeney said: “Over the past decade we’ve seen a massive shift from cash to digital payments, and Covid-19 has accelerated that trend further.
“But we know that digital payments don’t yet work for everyone, and for many individuals and communities, cash remains essential.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here