Cash and Cheques: How They Work Today
Last checked November 2026. Offers and rules change: confirm with the provider before you rely on them.
Cash and cheques are both still valid and still protected. Cheques now clear by the end of the next working day thanks to a system called cheque imaging, and since 2024 the big banks have had a legal duty to keep cash within reasonable reach of every community.
Cheques: still here, and faster
There is no date set for abolishing cheques. Banks continue to issue cheque books on request, though some no longer send a new one automatically, so you may need to ask.
What cheque imaging means
In the past, a paper cheque travelled physically from bank to bank and took about six working days to clear. Under the Image Clearing System, now used by all UK banks and building societies, the bank takes a digital picture of the cheque and sends that instead.
The result: if you pay in a cheque on a weekday before your bank's cut-off time, the money should be in your account, and safe to spend, by 11.59pm on the next weekday. Pay it in on a Friday and that means Monday night; bank holidays add a day. The same timetable applies to cheques you write, so the money will leave your account sooner than it used to.
Ways to pay in a cheque
| Method | How | Speed |
|---|---|---|
| Branch or banking hub counter | Hand it over with a paying-in slip or your card | Usually next weekday |
| Post Office | In your bank's deposit envelope with a personalised paying-in slip (most banks) | A few days longer |
| By post | Send it to the address your bank gives you, with a paying-in slip or a note of your account details | Depends on the post |
| Paying-in machine | At some branches, often with a printed picture of the cheque as a receipt | Usually next weekday |
| Banking app | Photograph the front and back with a smartphone or tablet | Usually next weekday |
Paying in by photograph is offered by many banks but not all, and each sets its own limit on the value of cheque it will accept this way. Keep the paper cheque until the money has cleared, then destroy it. If you would like to try it, see online banking for beginners. For the counter routes, see Post Office everyday banking.
Cash: your right to get at it
Under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) was given the job of protecting access to cash. Its rules came into force on 18 September 2024. They require the large banks and building societies named by the Treasury to:
- assess what a community needs when a branch or cash machine that people rely on is due to close, and when local people ask for a review;
- put extra services in place where there is a significant gap, such as a new cash machine, a Post Office improvement or a banking hub; and
- keep the existing facility open until that replacement is ready.
LINK, which runs the cash machine network, carries out the assessments. Anyone can ask LINK to review their area; see bank branch closures and banking hubs.
Where to get cash without paying a fee
- Free cash machines. Most are free. A machine that charges must tell you on screen before you commit. LINK has a cash machine finder on its website and a free app.
- The Post Office counter, with your bank card and PIN.
- Cashback at the till. Many supermarkets and convenience shops offer it with a debit card, and a growing number of local shops now give cashback without your needing to buy anything.
- A branch or banking hub counter.
Can a shop refuse my cash?
Yes. The access-to-cash rules are about being able to withdraw and deposit money; they do not oblige a shop, café or car park to accept notes and coins. "Legal tender" has a narrow legal meaning to do with settling debts in court and does not give you a right to pay in cash at a till. Most shops still take cash, but if you rely on it, it is worth carrying a debit card as a back-up. Our guide to paying safely explains how cards protect you.
Keeping cash safely
- Keep only what you need at home. Check the cash limit on your contents policy; see our home insurance guide.
- Take cash out in daylight, put it away before leaving the counter or machine, and shield your PIN.
- Be wary of anyone who offers "help" at a cash machine.
- No bank, police officer or official will ever ask you to withdraw cash and hand it to a courier. That is always a scam. See spotting scams.
Common questions
Are cheques being phased out?
No. Plans to abolish them were dropped years ago, and cheque imaging was brought in to keep them working. Fewer are written each year, though, and some businesses no longer accept them, so ask before you send one.
Someone has paid me by cheque and I cannot get out. What can I do?
Post it to your bank with a paying-in slip, ask a trusted person to take it to the Post Office or branch with your slip (they do not need your card or PIN to pay in), or use the bank's app if you have a smartphone.
Where can I turn if I am losing access to cash?
Ask LINK for a review, and tell your bank what you need. Citizens Advice, Age UK and MoneyHelper can explain your options, and complaints about a bank can go to the Financial Ombudsman Service. See also banking without the internet.