Post offices saw the highest amount of cash withdrawn over the counter in the run-up to Christmas on record, new data reveals.
On Friday 22 December, personal customers withdrew £62.4m, the highest amount ever withdrawn on a single day and exceeds the previous record by more than £10m.
On Christmas Day itself, around 1,500 branches, predominantly operated by independent postmasters and located in convenience stores, served customers. The data shows £3m in cash was deposited and withdrawn over the counter at branches on Christmas Day, compares to £2.3m on Christmas Day 2022.
Ross Borkett, Post Office Head of Banking, said: “For some people, being able to withdraw cash for free helped them to finish last-minute shopping for the big day, for others it may have been a last-minute gift.
“Business cash deposits being made on Christmas Day indicate just how vital it is that pub and restaurant owners have somewhere open and convenient to deposit their much-needed Christmas cash takings ahead of a quieter January.”
