Cash access protection urged: ‘It makes me feel independent’
9 hours ago
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Lucy Acheson and Thomas Copeland
BBC News
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Ann-Marie Kinsman
Reece Kinsman says he relies on physical cash to remain independent and buy things for himself
Leading disability charities have called on the government to ensure that people will continue to be able to use physical cash in shops.
It comes after a government minister said that shops will not be forced to accept cash, despite concerns that millions of vulnerable people rely on it.
Disability Rights UK (DRUK) and the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) are warning that making card payments the default creates "more barriers" for disabled people.
The BBC has heard from disabled people and their families who fear losing access to cash would limit their independence.
Reece Kinsman, 31, from Manchester, has Williams Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that is characterised by a neurodevelopmental disability.
He relies on cash to manage his money, as he struggles to track his spending when using a card.
On a recent trip to New Brighton, Merseyside, Reece was left panicked and upset when a fast-food restaurant told him they didn’t accept cash.