Cash is king, or so they say. In one form or another, human beings have been carrying around money for hundreds of years. Metal was first coined into cash between 700 and 600 BC by the Lydians, and banknotes have been in circulation since their first use in China around 1000 AD. These days, though, habits have changed. Modern technology means that while money is still widely used, it's more likely to be a digital transaction than a wad of notes and a handful of shrapnel. If cash is king, then it may eventually be dethroned.

 

In the UK, the use of tangible¹ currency is in decline. In 2017, the banking² trade body UK Finance reported a 15% fall in the use of ready money. Since their first use, debit³ card payments have given cash a run for its money. Last year, for the first time ever, the use of debit cards and contactless payments became the most popular way to stump⁴ up. In fact, if trends continue, the use of cold hard cash, would end by 2026, says the report.

 

For businesses, the smart money is on not taking cash. By doing so, they are in the money. For example, the Boot pub in Freston opened last year as a cashless pub. In a BBC article, its owner Mike Keen lists several advantages, including a quicker speed of service, lower insurance premiums⁵ since no cash is kept on site, and a saving in time as he needn't cash up each day nor make a deposit in the bank several times each week.

 

However, eight million people in the UK still need cash, according to the Access to Cash Review, an independent body measuring the need for cash in the UK. Those living in rural areas with poor internet connectivity and people who have physical or mental health issues are among those that find it difficult to use digital services. In addition, many service providers, such as window cleaners, are still paid cash in hand. Not to mention, budgeting, which is easier with cash since "you know what you've got," interviewee Kev Jackson told the BBC.

 

Is cash dead? Not yet it would seem, though as more technological⁶ solutions to payment, such as smart watches, become commonplace, its use is likely to decline more. What's important is, the report concludes, to put in place infrastructure⁷ to ensure that those who still need to pay the good, old-fashioned way can get their money's worth.

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