Households stash cash, torches and tinned goods in case of ‘emergency’
More than one in seven households keep a stash of cash on hand for emergencies (Alamy/PA)
New research conducted for Link, the UK’s main ATM network, indicates that a significant number of households are actively preparing for potential crises such as cyber attacks, natural disasters, or widespread IT failures by storing essential items.
The study, conducted in March, found that 17 per cent of individuals keep emergency cash at home, nearly half (49 per cent) possess a battery-powered torch, 47 per cent have tinned goods, and 37 per cent ensure they have a charged power bank.
The survey also highlighted a continued decline in cash reliance, with 61 per cent of respondents having used physical currency in the preceding two weeks, a decrease from 69 per cent in 2025 and 73 per cent in 2024.
While contactless cards (42 per cent) and phone payments (30 per cent) are the preferred methods for day-to-day transactions, 10 per cent of people are ‘fully cashless,’ yet 13 per cent still prefer to pay in cash, rising to 16 per cent among those aged 55 and over.
Many people resist going completely cashless, with 61 per cent citing the importance of cash for low-value and person-to-person payments, and 56 per cent valuing its role during digital payment outages, underscoring its growing importance in resilience planning.
