Half of Britons say they have had problems paying with cash in the past year, according to new research Money Mail can reveal.
Analysis of figures from the Link network of ATMs shows a 22 percent increase from 2023 at locations that did not accept or discouraged the use of cash in 2024.
The survey of 2,000 adults found that car parks topped the list, with 21 per cent of respondents naming them as the least money-friendly locations.
This was followed by cafés and restaurants (20 percent) and public transport and pubs (both 10 percent).
More than half of respondents (59 percent) say it caused a nuisance, an increase compared to 48 percent last year.
The use of cash has declined over the past decade as people increasingly use contactless and mobile payments.
Denied: Analysis of figures from the Link network of ATMs shows a 22% increase from 2023 in locations that did not accept or discourage the use of cash in 2024
There are currently no regulations requiring businesses to accept cash.
Last month, the Treasury Select Committee opened an inquiry asking for evidence to determine whether new rules are needed to make accepting cash mandatory in Britain.
It says cash remains an ‘essential resource’ for many and can be a ‘lifeline for groups such as those in long-term ill health or those at risk of economic abuse’.
Contactless payments remain the most popular payment option, with 43 percent of adults using it regularly, followed by 22 percent who prefer mobile payments.
Graham Mott, strategy director at Link, said: ‘Making cash mandatory in other countries has not always been successful and many businesses have already moved away from cash as demand has fallen.
‘However, there is still a huge dependency on cash, alongside the growing risk of people being digitally excluded.
‘It is important that there is a discussion about how this issue is tackled.’