Cash and Card Payments: Reduction in Availability

Debate between Lord Pitt-Watson and Lord Livingston of Parkhead

Tuesday 20th October 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Pitt-Watson (Lab)]

I have talked about some reviews. When I talked about voluntary acceptance, I meant voluntary acceptance. As I say, we have data from the British Retail Consortium, the local shop association and the Bank of England and so on about whether that acceptance is currently a problem. There is no consultation on anything that would make acceptance of cash mandatory right now. Although the pensioner groups will be involved in those areas that I have talked about where reviews are taking place, it is not the case that a review of retail acceptance is taking place right now.

[Lord Livingston of Parkhead (CB)]

My Lords, although taking cash is obviously necessary for some groups, it is an increasingly expensive thing to do for a dwindling amount of cash. Will the Minister consider how one ensures that corner shops and high street shops do not bear the cost of this, while people who are online-only get away scot-free? The cost of providing cash must be borne across the retail and utility sector as a whole.

[Lord Pitt-Watson (Lab)]

As I have explained, the choice is entirely voluntary for the people who accept cash right now. Some 99% of members of the local shop association are accepting cash right now. I realise that there are some fixed costs in accepting cash and that that makes it more and more costly. That is why, as I say, this is under observation by the Government, to make sure that we do not slip to a point where people are not able to buy the things that they need.