Recommendation 119

Cash is an enduring payment method that many people prefer to use and on which people who do not have equal access to non-cash payment methods rely. Although technology may progress further and reduce the number of people who rely on cash, demand for physical cash will always exist. The Government’s focus on reducing digital exclusion as part of the work of the Financial Inclusion Committee is welcome, but digital products and services may not fully solve the problem. Developing solutions to financial exclusion must include an examination of all potential options, especially where vulnerable groups face specific problems. For a significant minority of people, that risk entails not only inconvenience but partial exclusion from society. The cost will be borne by vulnerable minorities, including people in poverty, people struggling to escape domestic abusers and people with learning difficulties. (Conclusion)