Do I need cash in the UK, or can I use cards?

In 2026 the UK is nearly cashless. Contactless is accepted almost everywhere, by card or phone, and plenty of cafes and shops are card-only, some genuinely cannot make change. You can comfortably leave home with no pounds at all and get them from a cash machine if you want a little.

The main quirk is the 100 pound contactless limit most UK banks still apply: above that a card asks for chip and PIN, though paying with your phone (Apple Pay or Google Pay) has no such cap. Keep a small amount of cash, 20 to 40 pounds, only for the occasional rural pub, market stall or tip.

This is the big one for visitors. All London buses stopped taking cash years ago, and the Tube, Overground and Elizabeth line all work by tapping a contactless card or phone at the gate. The system automatically applies the same daily and weekly fare caps as an Oyster card, so you always pay the cheapest fare, which means you do not need to buy an Oyster at all.

Two small habits: tap in and tap out on the Tube and trains (buses are tap-in only), and do not tap a whole wallet against the reader, hold out the single card or phone you mean to use, or it may charge the wrong one.

If you want cash, use a free-to-use cash machine (most bank ATMs and the wider LINK network are free), and avoid the fee-charging machines tucked in some convenience stores. Apple Pay and Google Pay are accepted essentially everywhere cards are.

When a UK card machine or ATM asks whether to charge in US dollars or pounds, always choose pounds. Picking dollars triggers dynamic currency conversion at a poor rate. Pounds lets your own bank do the conversion, which is cheaper.

In restaurants a service charge of around 12.5% is often added to the bill; it is discretionary, so you can ask for it to be removed if service was poor, and you need not tip on top. In pubs where you order at the bar, tipping is not expected.

For the fuller money picture and how it varies around the UK, see the UK money guide.

Common questions

Quick answers.

More on United Kingdom

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