We, the undersigned, call for urgent action to protect cash as a viable and widely accepted payment method to ensure financial security, consumer choice, and resilience against digital banking failures.

Recent events, including Barclays’ technical failure over the weekend, have left thousands of people unable to access their own money, with some even being advised to seek food banks due to their inability to buy essentials. This is unacceptable. It highlights the dangers of relying solely on digital banking systems, which are vulnerable to outages, cyberattacks, and corporate mismanagement.

While digital transactions offer convenience, they should not replace cash entirely. A cashless society poses serious risks:
✅ People Lose Access During System Failures – When banks suffer outages, customers are left without access to their funds, unable to buy food, medicine, or pay for transport.
✅ Exclusion of Vulnerable Individuals – Elderly citizens, low-income individuals, and those without digital literacy or stable internet access rely on cash for daily transactions.
✅ Increased Financial Control by Banks – Going fully digital means banks have absolute control over transactions, allowing them to impose fees, block accounts, or even limit spending based on policies or external influences.
✅ Privacy Concerns – Cash transactions offer privacy, while digital payments allow corporations and governments to monitor and track spending habits.
✅ Cybersecurity Threats – Digital-only banking increases the risk of cyberattacks, data breaches, and hacking incidents that could wipe out personal savings overnight.

Our Demands:

1️⃣ Legal Protection for Cash Transactions – Ensure all businesses and service providers continue accepting cash as a legal payment method.
2️⃣ Mandatory Cash Access in Banks – Require all banks to maintain in-person cash services, including ATMs and branch withdrawals, to prevent reliance on digital-only banking.
3️⃣ Regulations Against Forced Digital Banking – Prevent financial institutions from penalizing customers who prefer cash transactions or withdrawing large sums.
4️⃣ Improved Banking Infrastructure – Implement stricter requirements for banks to ensure uninterrupted access to funds, including backup systems and compensation for customers affected by digital failures.
5️⃣ Consumer Rights in Banking Outages – Enforce regulations that require banks to provide immediate, interest-free emergency cash assistance when their systems fail.

Why This Matters

No one should be left unable to buy food, pay for transport, or manage essential needs because of a bank’s technical failure. The UK must protect financial freedom, resilience, and consumer rights by ensuring cash remains a fundamental part of our economy.

Join us in demanding that cash stays available, accessible, and legally protected for everyone. Sign this petition to stop banks from forcing us into a fragile, fully digital system!