Cash is king in a winter wonderland, finds Post Office® research

On December 3rd, 2019, the Post Office® published new findings on payments in the UK, concluding Brits are choosing cash for Christmas and end-of-year festivities.

With Christmas just around the corner, 3 in 5 Brits are budgeting by cash for gatherings, gifts and food. According to the UK's Post Office® , rural areas are even more likely to use tangible money this month, with 2 in 3 choosing cash over cards. Not only this, but when it comes to presents themselves, almost half of the 2,115 people surveyed say they will be giving cash as gifts.

"Whether it’s withdrawing cash to give as a gift to getting stamps, cards or travel money, our branches provide a personal, face-to-face service which is important to many, particularly during the festive period.”

"Martin Kearsley, Banking Services DirectorPost Office, Official Press ReleaseDecember 3rd, 2019

Perhaps this isn't so surprising. After all, cash is the gift that keeps on giving! The freedom to spend cash anywhere means the giver is handing the recipient more than the value printed on the notes and coins, it's the gift of choice and independence. Cash is the gift that says, "I trust you to make your own decisions." Not a bad way for your loved ones to start their New Year.

Key findings include

In the UK, 59% of people celebrating Christmas are more likely to use cash than cards
In rural areas across the UK, 66% of people celebrating Christmas are more likely to use cash than cards
In the UK, 45% of people are likely to give cash as a gift for Christmas

The research follows a renewed commitment to cash after a recent cashless bank partnership was met with public fury. More than just the UK's trusty mail network, the Post Office is also the UK’s largest fee free cash withdrawal network; With over 2,000 free cash machines, 99% of UK bank customers are able to withdraw cash and access their accounts at one of the 11,500 branches.