Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Cash Access UK is owned and funded by ten of the UK's biggest banks: AIB (NI), Bank of Ireland, Barclays, Danske Bank, HSBC UK, Lloyds Banking Group, NatWest Group, Santander, TSB and Virgin Money. These firms have come together to provide shared services available to all their customers.

A Banking Hub is a shared banking space on the high street. Hubs offer a counter service operated by the Post Office, where customers of all major banks and building societies can carry out regular cash transactions, Monday to Friday. They also offer a Community Banker service where customers can talk to their own bank about more complicated banking issue on the day their bank is in the Hub.

Banking Hubs are owned by Cash Access UK. The Hubs are run by a fantastic team of Postmasters and Community Bankers from our member firms, with a different bank available on each day of the week.

Banking Hubs offer a Community Banker service where customers can talk to their own bank about more complicated banking issues. The Community Bankers work on rotation, with a different bank available on each day of the week. Community Bankers are usually provided by the banks with the most customers in the local area. 

Digital or online solutions don’t yet work for everyone all the time.  Many people still need or prefer to bank face-to-face and need easy access to cash services too.

For many communities, a Banking Hub offers a convenient, sustainable, shared solution that brings cash services and bank representatives (Community Bankers) together in one place.

Cash is still important to millions of people in the UK. Between 5 and 6 million adults say they rely on cash in their day-to-day lives. Digital or online solutions don’t yet work for everyone all the time. We've found that Banking Hubs can make a real difference to individuals, small businesses and the communities they live in. 

A full list of Banking Hubs is available on our website. This also includes information on each Hub’s opening times and community banker schedules.

To find out what cash services are available in your area you can use the LINK Cash Locator.

Banking Hubs typically open 9am – 5pm, from Monday to Friday, though this may vary by location. If you’re planning on visiting a Banking Hub, please check the opening times on our Banking Hubs page.

LINK, the UK’s cash machine network, decides where new services are needed. LINK is an independent, regulated company with many years' experience in assessing communities' cash needs. LINK reviews the impact of every proposed branch closure by our member firms. A community can also ask LINK to carry out an assessment of the community if they feel they need better access to cash.

You can check what cash services are already near to you using LINK’s Cash Locator to find cash machines, Post Offices, Banking Hubs, and shops offering cashback.

Banking hubs are recommended by LINK who identify the need for access to cash and banking services to meet local demand, following bank branch closures in the community.

Cash Access UK is then responsible for delivering the Banking Hub to the local community.

If you think your local area would benefit from a Banking Hub, you can ask for a review of your community’s cash access needs. You can request an Access to Cash review on LINK’s website.

If you think your local area would benefit from a Banking Hub, you can ask for a review of your community’s cash access needs. You can request an Access to Cash review on the LINK website.

LINK will look at a wide range of factors to decide whether your community needs a new cash service such as; which cash and banking services are already available, community size and age and the number of local businesses.

Opening a Banking Hub can take several months from start to finish. These are the steps involved: 

• Find a suitable property that meets our requirements. These include size, condition and location. 
• Negotiate terms with the landlord. 
• Once an offer is agreed, solicitors carry out the legal work so the lease can be signed. We may need to get planning approval from the local authority before we work with our architects on the layout and design. Where the building is listed or in a conservation area, we make sure our design and the building work complement the area. 
• Post Office appoints a Banking Hub Operator and the banks identify Community Bankers so they are ready to serve customers on the day we open. 
• Carry out final checks to make sure everything is working so we can open the doors.

This all takes time, but we will work as quickly as we can to get your Banking Hub.

Cash Access UK’s ten member firms cover the vast majority of personal and business customers. Cash Access UK is open to any bank or building society to join as long as they meet certain criteria.

Banking Hubs are recommended in towns where LINK decides that additional cash and banking services are needed. The Hubs don’t replace existing Post Offices, but provide an additional service for the community. Banking Hubs are delivered and owned by Cash Access UK and are operated by Post Office staff. In many communities, though not always, the local Post Master operates the Hub and there is usually a different team of people working in the Hub.

We’ve found that in most communities, Banking Hubs can encourage people to stay and shop in the local high street, which can have a positive impact on the local Post Office too.

Banking Hubs are not Post Offices. They provide banking services only. You can’t buy your stamps, send a parcel or do foreign exchange at a Banking Hub.

You can access cash services from the Banking Hub counter whoever you bank with, whenever the Hub is open. The counter services include:

• Paying in cash and cheques
• Withdrawing cash
• Checking your balance
• Accessing change-giving services (for registered businesses)
• Paying utility bills
• Topping up your gas and electricity
• PIN management

You can also speak to a Community Banker from your own bank about more complicated banking matters, like account management, payments and transfers, card issues, money management, managing Power of Attorney and support through bereavement, on the day your bank is in the Hub. Further information about the Community Banker services is available on our website.

Business banking customers are welcome to use the counter services to make cash withdrawals, cash and cheque deposits and other cash services including floats and coinage.

No charges are taken at the Banking Hub counter. However, some banks may charge. For specific details, please check directly with your own bank.

Cash deposits made using a card will normally show in your account on the same day.

Cash deposits made using a deposit slip will normally show in your account the next working day. For further details please contact your bank directly.

The amount you can withdraw will depend on any withdrawal limits in place on the specific account you hold with your bank. If you’re unsure, please contact your bank directly to check.

If you are a business banking customer, you can do this at the hub with selected banks using the Change Giving and Change Giving “Lite” services.

Yes, coins should be bagged by denomination. For denominations below £1, any coin deposited must be in full bags.

Unfortunately, we're not able to print mini statements. However, the Banking Hub will be able to provide a balance enquiry on your account and the community banker will be able to show you your account activity. 

Unfortunately, you are unable to pay any credit card bills at the counter.

No, all the Community Bankers offer walk-in appointments, so you do not need an appointment.

However, some banks do offer appointments during specific times of the day. Please visit your local hub or check with your bank to see if appointments are available.

Yes. Customers of all major banks and building societies can access cash services from the Post Office counter service, whenever the Hub is open:

• pay in cash and cheques
• withdraw cash
• check your balance
• pay utility bills
• top up your gas and electricity
• access change-giving services (for small businesses)
• manage your PIN

Community Bankers are usually provided by the banks with the most customers in the local area.

No. Customers of all major banks and building societies can access cash services from the Post Office counter service, whenever the Hub is open:

• pay in cash and cheques
• withdraw cash
• check your balance
• pay utility bills
• top up your gas and electricity
• access change-giving services (for small businesses)
• PIN management

You can also talk to a Community Banker from your bank on the day your bank is in the Hub. There is a private space where you can talk face-to-face about more complicated banking enquiries like payments and transfers, managing your account, and how to use online banking.

Our Customer Liaison Officers provide face-to-face support for your banking queries. They offer friendly guidance and can direct you to the most appropriate assistance - some examples listed below:

• Helping you contact your bank via the quickest and most appropriate method.
• Guiding you to relevant information and support online.
• Explaining the services available in the hub and how to access them.

A multi-bank deposit ATM is like a normal free-to-use ATM which offers easy access to cash services such as withdrawals, balance enquiries and PIN management to customers of all major banks. They also allow you deposit cash for free with selected banks.

Withdrawals, balance enquiries and PIN management services are supported by all major banks. Cash deposits are supported by customers of Barclays, Bank of Scotland, Danske Bank, Halifax, Lloyds, NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland, TSB and Ulster Bank.

Our ATMs do not accept coin deposits at this time. 

No, there’s no fees for using the ATMs. However, some banks may charge separately as part of any agreed account fees. For specific details, please check directly with your own bank. 

Availability may vary by location. Check the opening times of your nearest multi-bank deposit ATM on our website or through the LINK Cash Locator.

Typically each machine will accept up to 90 notes per transaction. Customers can undertake multiple transactions, subject to any separate deposit limits imposed by your bank. Please check directly with your own bank to understand what limits may apply.

Enhanced banking services at selected Post Offices offer a priority counter for quicker cash deposits and withdrawals, specifically for banking customers. 

Most UK high street banks are supported. Please check with the Post Office or your Bank for bank-specific services.

No, there’s no fees for using the services. However, some banks may charge separately as part of any agreed account fees. For specific details, please check directly with your own bank.