Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of cashless shops on (a) low-income people and (b) poorer communities.

The Treasury has not made a specific assessment of the effect of cashless shops on (a) low-income people and (b) poorer communities.

However, last year the Government initiated a discussion on payment methods through a Call for Evidence on Cash and Digital Payments in the New Economy. This sought to gather evidence on how changing preferences for cash and digital payments impact on different sectors, regions and demographics. A wide range of evidence was collected, including on the changing levels of cash usage, and a formal summary of responses was published in May 2019.

The response set out the Government’s commitment to supporting digital payments, whilst safeguarding access to cash for those who need it. The Government is engaging, and will continue to engage, with the regulators and industry on this important topic.