The National Rural Conference 2025

Bookings are now officially open for the National Rural Conference 2025, which will take place online from Monday 15 to Thursday 18 September.
This is the Rural Services Network’s flagship event of the year, bringing together rural decision-makers, practitioners, and advocates for four days of live, interactive sessions focused on the future of rural communities.
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Rural communities continue to be hardest hit by lack of access to cash

Talking Retail reports on information published on the 30th June by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) revealing the locations of ‘cold spots’ around the country where consumers do not have access to cash within a one-mile radius

Access may be through a bank, post office or building society branch, or through an ATM. Through its Financial Inclusion Programme, ATM network operator Link aims to ensure all consumers have free access to cash within one kilometre. But the new modelling by the PSR and the FCA shows 12 percent no longer have access within one mile (1.6km). In rural areas especially, a large number of ATMs and post offices are hosted by local convenience stores.

Findings from the ACS 2020 Rural Shop Report show 45 percent of rural shops provide a free-to-use cash machine for local customers, while 28 percent have a post office. 17 percent have a paid-for cash machine and 66 percent offer cashback.

Full article:

Talking Retail - Rural communities continue to be hardest hit by lack of access to cash