ABERDEEN South is the area of Scotland that is set to go cashless the quickest, with a 36% decline in ATMs between 2018 and 2022.
Online trading platform CMC Markets has looked at House of Commons data relating to the number of ATM closures across the UK. They then compared this with population figures to find the number of ATMs per 10,000 people across different parliamentary constituencies in Scotland and the rest of the UK.
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The data found that Aberdeen South has seen the biggest switch to a cashless approach in Scotland, with a 36% reduction in ATMs in the region between 2018 and 2022 – which works out to 36 ATM closures overall.
West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine was found to have the second highest rate of ATM closures with 30.8% (20) of its ATMs having closed since 2018, while Edinburgh South West was third highest, with a closure rate of 29.9% (32).
The average rate of ATM closures was found to be 18.3% between 2018 and 2022 across all areas of Scotland.
West Dunbartonshire was found to have the lowest rate of ATM closures since 2018, with a 4.1% reduction in ATMs, equating to just five closures overall.
When looking across the rest of the UK, Cheadle in Northwest England that was found to have the highest rate of closures, at an astonishing 44.9% of ATMs closing since 2018.
Scotland ATM Closures 2018-2022
| # | Scottish Parliamentary Constituencies | Population | Number of ATMS per 10,000 people (Sept 2022) | Change in ATMs (Since July 2018) | % Change in ATMs (Since July 2018) |
| 1. | Aberdeen South | 95,881 | 6.7 | -36 | -36.0% |
| 2. | West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine | 97,061 | 4.6 | -20 | -30.8% |
| 3. | Edinburgh South West | 106,795 | 7.0 | -32 | -29.9% |
| 4. | Gordon | 104,414 | 5.9 | -25 | -28.7% |
| 5. | Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East | 87,914 | 7.2 | -25 | -28.4% |
| 6. | Edinburgh West | 101,542 | 7.8 | -31 | -28.2% |
| 7. | Paisley and Renfrewshire North | 94,454 | 7.8 | -29 | -28.2% |
| 8. | Edinburgh East | 110,757 | 8.8 | -37 | -27.6% |
| 9. | Edinburgh South | 92,634 | 5.5 | -18 | -26.1% |
| 10. | Glasgow Central | 107,313 | 24.2 | -90 | -25.7% |
| 11. | Glasgow North West | 87,951 | 8.2 | -23 | -24.2% |
| 12. | Edinburgh North and Leith | 115,892 | 11.7 | -43 | -24.0% |
| 13. | Midlothian | 93,150 | 7.0 | -19 | -22.6% |
| 14. | Argyll and Bute | 85,430 | 8.4 | -21 | -22.6% |
| 15. | Na h-Eileanan an Iar | 26,500 | 7.9 | -6 | -22.2% |
| 16. | Glasgow North | 79,614 | 10.2 | -22 | -21.4% |
| 17. | East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow | 103,864 | 7.9 | -22 | -21.2% |
| 18. | Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale | 86,189 | 7.7 | -17 | -20.5% |
| 19. | Glenrothes | 88,158 | 9.3 | -21 | -20.4% |
| 20. | Dundee West | 89,246 | 12.8 | -29 | -20.3% |
| 21. | Central Ayrshire | 86,850 | 9.7 | -21 | -20.0% |
| 22. | Lanark and Hamilton East | 98,313 | 10.2 | -25 | -20.0% |
| 23. | Stirling | 94,080 | 11.2 | -25 | -19.2% |
| 24. | Perth and North Perthshire | 97,508 | 10.1 | -23 | -19.0% |
| 25. | Ross, Skye and Lochaber | 69,291 | 8.7 | -14 | -18.9% |
| 26. | Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock | 91,340 | 12.0 | -25 | -18.5% |
| 27. | Moray | 95,710 | 7.4 | -16 | -18.4% |
| 28. | East Renfrewshire | 96,060 | 5.7 | -12 | -17.9% |
| 29. | East Lothian | 107,900 | 7.2 | -17 | -17.9% |
| 30. | Aberdeen North | 101,750 | 11.9 | -26 | -17.7% |
| 31. | Glasgow South West | 88,854 | 10.0 | -19 | -17.6% |
| 32. | Falkirk | 112,062 | 8.9 | -21 | -17.4% |
| 33. | Glasgow East | 96,315 | 10.4 | -21 | -17.4% |
| 34. | Linlithgow and East Falkirk | 119,930 | 7.6 | -19 | -17.3% |
| 35. | Orkney and Shetland | 45,270 | 5.3 | -5 | -17.2% |
| 36. | Dundee East | 90,048 | 8.2 | -15 | -16.9% |
| 37. | Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath | 99,332 | 10.2 | -20 | -16.5% |
| 38. | Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross | 60,241 | 7.8 | -9 | -16.1% |
| 39. | Motherwell and Wishaw | 93,991 | 10.5 | -18 | -15.4% |
| 40. | East Dunbartonshire | 84,120 | 7.3 | -11 | -15.3% |
| 41. | Kilmarnock and Loudoun | 96,886 | 10.5 | -18 | -15.0% |
| 42. | Livingston | 112,388 | 9.1 | -18 | -15.0% |
| 43. | Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill | 96,214 | 10.8 | -18 | -14.8% |
| 44. | Glasgow North East | 87,914 | 9.0 | -13 | -14.1% |
| 45. | Airdrie and Shotts | 86,522 | 9.4 | -13 | -13.8% |
| 46. | Glasgow South | 88,808 | 7.9 | -11 | -13.6% |
| 47. | Dunfermline and West Fife | 102,916 | 9.4 | -15 | -13.4% |
| 48. | North East Fife | 83,724 | 8.6 | -11 | -13.3% |
| 49. | Inverclyde | 77,060 | 11.7 | -13 | -12.6% |
| 50. | Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey | 105,898 | 9.8 | -15 | -12.6% |
| 51. | North Ayrshire and Arran | 92,914 | 9.3 | -11 | -11.3% |
| 52. | Angus | 85,346 | 8.0 | -8 | -10.5% |
| 53. | Ochil and South Perthshire | 105,692 | 6.5 | -8 | -10.4% |
| 54. | Paisley and Renfrewshire South | 84,936 | 13.4 | -13 | -10.2% |
| 55. | Dumfries and Galloway | 95,151 | 10.3 | -11 | -10.1% |
| 56. | Banff and Buchan | 90,734 | 7.6 | -7 | -9.2% |
| 57. | Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk | 94,777 | 7.5 | -6 | -7.8% |
| 58. | Rutherglen and Hamilton West | 106,056 | 7.8 | -6 | -6.7% |
| 59. | West Dunbartonshire | 88,340 | 13.4 | -5 | -4.1% |
Easiest and hardest areas to access cash
When considering the number of ATMs per 10,000 people, Glasgow Central was found to be the easiest area to access cash, in Scotland with 24.2 ATMs per 10,000 residents. Glasgow Central ranked as the second easiest place to access cash in the UK, behind Cities of London and Westminster (37.3 per 10,000).
At the other end of the scale, West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine was found to be the hardest place to access cash in Scotland, with the lowest number of ATMs per person, at just 4.6 per 10,000 residents.
Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at CMC Markets commented on the findings:
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers were reminded that using digital payment options over cash would allow them to pay for goods and services in a safer manner. Many found this to be more convenient than withdrawing cash, and it appears to have only accelerated the already existing shift towards digital banking.”
“By analysing the rate at which ATMs have closed over the past four years, we were able to see which areas are likely to go cashless first, as well as the areas with the easiest access to cash machines.”
“With older generations being more reliant on cash machines, increasing closures of ATMs may exacerbate the digital divide unless banks continue with measures that aim to improve digital literacy.”
The study was conducted by CMC Markets – Learn more about the company’s services.
