Barclays customers won't be able to withdraw cash from Post Office branches

The Post Office allows customers of 28 banks to withdraw cash, pay cash in, check their balance and deposit cheques.

But from 8 January 2020, Barclays customers will only be able to deposit cash and cheques, and check their balances at the Post Office – they won't be able to withdraw cash.

Why is Barclays making this change?

A Barclays spokesperson said that it wanted to reduce its customers' reliance on the Post Office, while investing more in free-to-use cash machines and cashback services at local businesses.

The bank said that for the vast majority of its customers who use the Post Office to withdraw cash, there are alternative options within close proximity. In certain cases, Barclays customers who won't have any other convenient way to withdraw money, or those deemed to be vulnerable, will be able to withdraw cash by cheque at a Post Office branch.

The bank will be writing to every customer who has used a Post Office branch for banking services in the past six months to explain the options open to them to withdraw cash. Customers can find out more by calling 0800 169 3091 or visiting Barclays' website.

Separately, the bank has also promised that it won't close any branches for the next two years in areas where it is the last bank in a particular town, or its branch is in a particularly isolated area.

'If you're affected, you can vote with your feet'

Helen Saxon, banking editor at MoneySavingExpert.com, said: "This will be a blow to some Barclays' customers, especially those who have limited access to other ways to access cash and who rely on the Post Office for it.

"If you are affected, remember that you can always vote with your feet and move your bank account to one of the banks and building societies that do let you use the Post Office for this vital service."

The Payment Systems Regulator has said it'll be monitoring the steps Barclays takes for customers to access their cash, particularly in rural areas.

Which banks let their customers use Post Office branches?

Last year, the Post Office – which has 11,500 branches – handled more than 130 million transactions on behalf of UK banks. You can use its branch finder tool to find your nearest. The banks that let customers use Post Office branches are:

• Allied Irish Banks

• Bank of Ireland

• Bank of Scotland

• Barclays (account holders won't be able to withdraw cash from 8 January 2020)

• CAF Bank

• Cahoot

• Clydesdale Bank

• Co-operative Bank

• Danske Bank

• First Direct

• First Trust Bank

• Halifax

• Handelsbanken

• HSBC UK

• Lloyds Bank

• Metro Bank

• Nationwide Building Society

• NatWest

• Omnio

• Payment Cloud Technologies

• Royal Bank of Scotland

• Santander

• Smile

• Starling Bank

• TSB

• Ulster Bank

• Virgin Money

• Yorkshire Bank