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Access to Cash Scheme
 

Background

The Government and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) are committed to ensuring the reasonable provision of cash deposit and withdrawal services for personal and business current accounts across the UK.

AIB Group (UK) p.l.c. fully supports the ambition to ensure reasonable provision of cash deposit and cash withdrawal services to all communities in Northern Ireland.

From 18th September 2024 all Banks and Buildings Societies that have been designated by HM Treasury should:

  • Carry out Cash Access Assessments, when material changes are being planned to existing cash services. Designated banks and building societies must address any material gaps identified from such assessments.
  • Carry out Cash Access Assessments in response to a Cash Access Request from the public and implement reasonable additional cash services, where material gaps are identified.
  • Keep facilities, including bank branches and ATMs, open until any additional cash services identified from a Cash Access Assessment are implemented.

Cash Access Assessments

The purpose of a Cash Access Assessment is to identify:

  • if there are gaps in access to cash services in a particular area
  • where gaps are identified to assess if these gaps have a significant impact on consumers and businesses in that area
  • where the assessment identifies there is a significant impact on consumers or businesses, designated banks and building societies must put in place new/additional services to address these impacts.
 

The regulations do not require designated banks or building societies to carry out a Cash Access Assessment where:

  • a cash access assessment is ongoing, or has been completed within the preceding 12 months, for substantially the same local area and the same issue.
  • an ATM is closing, but there will remain one or more ATMs offering the same services at the same site.
  • an assessment was triggered by a proposed closure that is no longer happening
  • a requestor withdraws their Cash Access Request in writing.

Our Position

AIB (NI) will:

  • make no material changes to our existing cash services in Northern Ireland, without first ensuring that a Cash Access Assessment is carried out and any material gaps addressed.
    A material change is defined as a closure or a material reduction/change in services, which is reasonably anticipated to last, or has lasted, for at least six months
  • ensure that a Cash Access Assessment is carried out following receipt of a Cash Access Request from an interested party, and that such Cash Access Assessments are completed within 12 weeks.

LINK Scheme Limited will carry out Cash Access Assessments on behalf AIB Group (UK) p.l.c. and Cash Access UK Limited will implement additional cash services, where these are required.

Cash Access UK logo

  • You can find out about the cash services in your area by using LINK's Cash Locator. www.link.co.uk/cash-locator​

  • LINK may have already looked at your area and made a recommendation to make things better. Recommendations from previous LINK Cash Access Assessments can be found at www.link.co.uk/our-assessments.

  • You can request us to carry out an Access to Cash Assessment in your area using the link below.

    https://www.link.co.uk/helping-you-access-cash/request-access-to-cash

    LINK will carry out the Cash Access Assessment on behalf of AIB (UK) p.l.c. and they will provide you with the findings from this assessment, within 12 weeks of receiving your Cash Access Request.

  • If you would like more information on how LINK carry out a Cash Access Assessment please use the link below.

    https://www.link.co.uk/helping-you-access-cash