While electronic payments are widely accepted, cash is still king in most of the UK.
Thankfully, finding an ATM in the UK is rarely a problem. There are more than 50,000 of them across the country¹, and around 95%² in the LINK network won’t charge you to use them.
And, if you want to avoid exchange rate markups and sneaky transaction fees while shopping, then check out the Wise card. You can use it to spend in 175 countries, including the UK. Your transactions abroad are automatically converted into British pounds using the fair mid-market exchange rate.
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Where do I find an ATM in the UK?
You’ll find ATMs in the UK in bank lobbies; outside bank branches, post offices and supermarkets; in pubs, restaurants and hotels; at petrol stations and also in other less common locations.
All British ATMs belong to the LINK network. You can find the closest one by typing in your city or postcode on LINK’s online ATM locator.
Will my credit or debit card work in the UK?
Most ATMs in the UK accept MasterCard (Cirrus) and Visa (Plus) cards.³ The vast majority of credit and debit cards belong to one of these two card networks. However, you should ask your bank to confirm if your card will work.
All ATM machines display the logo of every card network they accept. You can also look up the closest ATM using:
- MasterCard’s ATM locator (for Cirrus and Maestro)
- Visa’s ATM locator
British ATMs accept chip-and-pin type cards and cards with just a magnetic stripe on the back. However, you’ll need a four-digit PIN. Keypads don’t have letters, so you’ll also need to remember your PIN numerically.
Don’t forget to let your bank know when you’ll be travelling. Otherwise, you risk having your card frozen, as your bank might consider your transactions suspicious.
What are the ATM charges for withdrawing cash in the UK?
There are two types of ATMs in the UK: free and pay-to-use. The vast majority are free.² Independently operated machines can charge around £3 to £5 per transaction.⁴
When travelling to the UK, your home bank will probably charge a withdrawal fee. You should also expect to pay a foreign exchange fee. These fees are over and above any fees charged by a UK ATM.
If you’re looking for a transparent and safe alternative to manage your money in the UK or when travelling abroad, consider signing up with Wise. You can get a Wise card, a multi-currency card that automatically converts your pounds into local currency in 175 countries at the fair mid-market exchange rate.
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How can I avoid ATM fees in the UK?
If you want to avoid paying ATM fees (or at least keep them to a minimum) try using these tips and tricks.
Always use free ATMs
All ATMs in the UK have clear signage indicating whether withdrawals are free or not. If a machine charges a fee, it will tell you what the fee is. You’ll also get an opportunity to cancel the transaction before being charged.
Check if your bank is part of a fee-free network
Barclays, one of the UK’s largest and oldest banks, is part of the Global ATM Alliance.⁵ If your bank is part of the alliance, you can use Barclays’ ATMs without paying a withdrawal fee.
Allpoint is another fee-free network with 55,000 ATMs in the UK, US, Canada, Australia, Puerto Rico, and Mexico.⁶
International banking giant HSBC is one of the UK’s ‘big four’ banks. You can make fee free-withdrawals starting from £300/day,⁷ depending on your debit card package. HSBC has over 1,500 ATM across the UK.⁸
Citibank, which also offers customers fee-free withdrawals from its ATMs worldwide, has 2 ATMs in the UK. However, these are all located in Central London.⁹
If you’re not a customer of one of the banks mentioned above, it’s still worth asking your bank whether it operates in partnership with any banks in the UK. This might allow you to make ATM withdrawals in the UK for free when using certain ATMs.
Avoid using your credit card
Using a credit card to make ATM withdrawals is often more expensive than using a debit card. Fees tend to be higher; and the withdrawal is treated as a loan, which means the amount attracts interest. Here is also a list of the European countries that charge the highest ATM fees.
By now, you should have a pretty good idea where to find ATMs in the UK and what charges to expect. If possible, try to use your card to pay for your purchases, as it’s generally cheaper and safer.
Sources used:
Sources last checked on date: 11-Dec-2022
*Please see terms of use and product availability for your region or visit Wise fees and pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information. This publication is provided for general information purposes and does not constitute legal, tax or other professional advice from Wise Payments Limited or its subsidiaries and its affiliates, and it is not intended as a substitute for obtaining advice from a financial advisor or any other professional. We make no representations, warranties or guarantees, whether expressed or implied, that the content in the publication is accurate, complete or up to date.
