New data from the UK's primary cash machine network reveals that billions of pounds are still being withdrawn annually, underscoring the enduring role of physical currency for millions of Britons.
Annual Cash Withdrawals Show Gradual Decline
According to figures released by Link, the nation's leading ATM and cash access network, a total of £76.7 billion was taken out from its machines throughout 2025. This activity stemmed from 1.27 billion individual transactions recorded across the year.
When compared to the previous year, these numbers represent a continued downward trend. The value of withdrawals fell by approximately 4% from the £80.0 billion recorded in 2024, while the number of transactions saw a sharper drop of around 8% from 1.39 billion.
Link's transactions account for a dominant 77% of all UK ATM withdrawals, with the remainder typically occurring when customers use their own bank or building society's proprietary machines.
The Busiest Day and Changing Habits
The data pinpointed Friday, December 19, 2025, as the busiest day for cash withdrawals across the Link network. On that single day, an impressive £355 million was dispensed to customers preparing for the festive period.
This narrowly beat the total for Christmas Eve, which saw £353 million withdrawn, contrary to initial predictions that it would be the peak. The all-time record for a single day remains December 22, 2017, when £766 million was taken out.
The average amount taken out per visit to a cash machine in 2025 was just over £90, according to Link's analysis.
Cash as a 'Resilient' Budgeting Tool
Graham Mott, Director of Strategy at Link, commented on the figures, acknowledging the "overall downward trend" in annual cash use. However, he was keen to stress its ongoing significance.
"Cash remains important to many people and £76 billion was still withdrawn from Link ATMs last year," Mott stated. "People may be visiting cash machines less often and some are relying exclusively on a digital wallet on their phone, but cash continues to be a vital budgeting tool for many."
He concluded by affirming that physical money "remains an essential and resilient payment choice for millions."
The infrastructure supporting cash access is also evolving. By December 2025, the total number of Link ATMs stood at 42,403, a reduction of roughly 5% from the 44,569 available in December 2024.
Within this latest total, the majority – 33,710 machines – were free for consumers to use, while 8,693 operated on a pay-to-use basis. This marks a significant shift from the landscape in 2010, when 21,687 Link ATMs charged a fee and 41,581 were free.
