Despite the installation of 740 new free-to-use ATMs in the UK’s most deprived areas, four million consumers who are eligible to withdraw benefits are still unable to use them, reveals LINK.

The UK cash machine network said in its annual Consumer Committee Report that consumers with these government-issued Post Office Card Accounts – used for withdrawing benefits – are forced to carry out these transaction in a post office.

The new coalition government must reconsider the restriction the previous Labour government imposed and allow those on benefits to access their cash more easily, said LINK.

“Working with government and consumer groups we’ve had a massive success in spreading free-to-use cash machines into lower-income areas previously without ATMs,” explained Edwin Schooling Latter, managing director of LINK. “The final push to see this important work to a close would be to ensure the government’s own cardholders – four million people receiving their benefits through a Post Office Card Account – can access the free ATMs.”

The UK’s free-to-use ATM network now covers over 95 per cent of the country’s lower-income areas, but the report said LINK’s Consumer Committee hopes to install further machines in some lower-income areas that remain on their target list, including Kirkby in Liverpool, Luton south and parts of rural Cornwall. LINK hopes to have these areas covered in the next year.

Marie Burton, policy advocate at Consumer Focus, said: “Our research shows that Post Office Card Account holders want cash machine access, so it is very frustrating they aren’t benefiting from these free cash machines. In 21st century Britain people shouldn’t need to rely on post office opening hours to take out their own money. Most of us take for granted that we can withdraw cash in the early morning, in the evening or over the weekend – sadly this is not an option for many POCA users.”

The Committee has also focused on supporting the cash machine industry’s efforts to increase the number of ATMs that dispense £5 notes, and in reducing cash machine fraud.

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