How much cash can I withdraw from an ATM? Maximum amount - how to find nearest cash machine

Since the Covid-19 pandemic, contactless payments have been on the up while physical cash has become used less frequently.

Fears that the virus could be transmitted through physical contact with infected objects led to an initial sharp fall in cash usage. However, the amount of physical money changing hands has recovered slightly as a result of the cost of living crisis.

Research by ATM provider Link in 2022 found people have been upping their ATM withdrawals to help them budget. Its survey of 2,000 people found 9% were planning to use cash more often as it helped them to keep on top of their personal finances.

But with the cost of living continuing to bite in 2023, the Post Office has reported that the number of withdrawals fell 2.5% month-on-month in July, from £836 million to £815 million. The organisation said this change may be down to belt-tightening or the bad weather that domimated much of the typically “very busy” month.

So, if you’re turning to cash to keep tabs on how much money you’ve got, how much can you withdraw from an ATM in a single day? NationalWorld has looked at the policies of the major high street banks and providers to see how much money they allow you to withdraw from a cash machine in 24 hours.

How much can I withdraw from an ATM?

The figures below are the amounts debit card holders can access either from a cash machine or in-branch. We haven’t included credit card cash machine withdrawals as they can incur additional charges or interest. Here’s what we found:

• HSBC

HSBC allows its customers to withdraw different amounts depending on what kind of account they have.

Basic account holders can access £300 per day, HSBC Advance customers can get £500, while high net worth Premier and Jade members can withdraw £1,000. HSBC does not specify an in-branch limit on withdrawals.

• Natwest, RBS and Ulster Bank

Natwest and RBS also have different withdrawal levels depending on the kind of account you have. Student, Graduate, Savings and Adapt accounts allow you to withdraw up to £250 in a day.

This amount increases to £300 for Foundation, Select, Reward, Silver or Platinum accounts. And for Black accounts, the daily limit is £750.

At their sister brand Ulster Bank, the limits are similar. The big difference is that its top tier accounts - Current, UFirst Gold or Student - have an upper limit of £500 a day.

For any cash withdrawals of between £5,000 and £19,999, you will have to head into a branch after having provided a full 24 hours’ notice. If you want to withdraw £20,000 or more, you have to provide three business days’ notice. You may be asked about the purpose of such a large withdrawal, and might have to produce an invoice to show what you’re using the cash for.

• Barclays

Youth cash card holders at Barclays can withdraw up to £50 per day. Non-youth current accounts are able to take out as much as £300 every 24 hours, while Business Banking allows withdrawals of £750.

Premier and Platinum customers get a £1,000 default limit that can be upped to £2,000. If you head into a Barclays branch, you can withdraw as much as you like. But the bank says that any requests for amounts above £2,000 have to have at least 24 hours notice.

• Santander

Santander has a universal daily withdrawal limit of £300. However, its Select Current Account allows up to £1,000 per day to be taken out at the cash machine.

For corporate customers, the daily limit is £250, with amounts above this requiring advance notice (although Santander does not say how far in advance this should be). To give that notice, you have to call its corporate office on: 0151 298 6520.

• Nationwide

All Nationwide accounts, barring FlexOne and Smart card (both £300), allow you to take out £500 a day at an ATM.

Over a branch counter, the maximum goes up to £10,000 - although you’ll need ID and proof of address to access this amount of cash.

• Halifax

Halifax’s maximum daily withdrawal amount is £500 from a cash machine. To take out anything between £500 and £2,500, you have to do so over the counter.

You can withdraw more than £2,500 but you need to give your local branch notice in advance of when you plan to do it. You will also have to prove your identity.

• Lloyds Bank

All Lloyds Bank debit account cards allow withdrawals of £500 a day out from an ATM. If you want to go higher, the bank says it does not set an upper limit, but that you have to notify your branch in advance.

• Starling

Also keeping things simple is Starling Bank, which has a daily limit of £300 across all of its accounts. You can make up to six withdrawals per day, so long as they fall under this limit.

If you need to pay a larger amount, you can only use your debit card to do so, up to a limit of £10,000.

• Virgin Money

Virgin Money is another provider which has handily kept things standardised. The maximum amount that can be withdrawn at a cash machine in the UK is £500. Its ‘online’ debit cards are limited to £350 a day.

• Metro Bank

As with many of the other high street brands, Metro Bank allows you to take out a maximum of £300 per day. This rises to £1,000 in a branch if you’re 16 or over.

If you’re after more than a grand, you will have to give Metro Bank at least one weekday’s notice.

• Co-op

The Co-op Bank allows a standard daily withdrawal limit of £250. For those who want to increase their withdrawal maximum, you have to contact the bank directly. The limit can be upped to £500 in £10 increments.

How can I find a cash machine near me?

In February, cash machine operator Link reported that the number of free-to-use cash machines in the UK had fallen below 40,000 for the first time since 2009. Numbers dropped 28% from an all-time high of 54,599 in 2017 to 39,429 this year.

It means finding an ATM is now a bit more challenging than it used to be. But if you are searching for a place to get hold of some physical money, you can use Link’s online Cash Locator tool to seek out machines near you. This mapping service can also show you which shops offer cashback at the till.