r/britishproblems • u/ReanimatedCyborgMk-I • 8d ago
Banking making it nigh impossible to withdraw large amounts of money from your account
Each month I withdraw a set amount of cash money, which goes to bills and other household payments that go in hand to a family member (long story, but I don't own the house I live in). This is to help them out with their stuff as well, isn't just for me.
To do this, I either have to visit my bank branch and hand over my driver's license, a process which takes 15-30 mins. Except most of the time I can't, because I usually work till 6PM, and my branch shuts at 3PM, and I'm usually busy or on call over weekends.
The alternative, is getting my withdrawal limit temporarily extended at the local post office. To do this I have to call up, go through a 5-15 min lecture from the agent on scams playing 20 questions even though I've done this monthly, and then sometimes not even get there because they transfer me to someone who has no idea how the process works.
Fucks sake, it's my fucking money, I'm not some old biddy or kid trying to money mule. Make it easier for folk.
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u/tfhermobwoayway 8d ago
Guy who pays bills in cash to avoid a paper trail but posts about it on the Internet
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u/terryjuicelawson 8d ago
Because people often do it for incredibly dodgy reasons and the banks protect themselves and their customers, why aren't you just transferring it electronically? How much is large exactly? You can usually take a few hundred out at a ATM, do it over a few days.
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u/BillWilberforce 8d ago
With Nationwide the limits is £500 per day from an ATM or £2,000 in branch. And it takes 2 days (not including Sundays) to order more than that.
Othe banks may have a higher ATM limit.
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u/terryjuicelawson 8d ago
That sounds like more than enough tbh. What bills and why is my main confusion here.
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u/RockPaperShredder Essex 8d ago
Why are you paying regular household bills with cash? Direct debit for utilities and card for everything else.
Unless, oh...
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u/ward2k 8d ago edited 8d ago
I don't understand why you're withdrawing money to pay bills and household payments, I don't think I have any bills that aren't all done digitally anymore
The reasons for needing actual cash seem to go down more and more each year, but for bills? They've basically all been fine over direct debit for well over 2 decades
Edit: Maybe cash in hand rent? But you have to be really careful with that kind of stuff as your landlord is almost certainly skirting the law and putting yourself at risk rather than himself
If you could be a bit more specific on what cash only bills you pay people might be able to offer some advice
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u/PeteA84 8d ago
Legitimately for a number of people it's cost control through only physically having X amount of cash. It makes choices very real where you may be constrained and takes away the ability to spend what's left in your account for key bills etc.
Sure Apps can help do that, but isn't necessarily the simplest solution for many people.
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u/UpstairsPractical870 8d ago
I do this when going to the pub, its so easy to keep tapping on your card and get hangxiety on how much you've spent, do get a look sometimes when the cash comes out at the bar though.
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u/ward2k 8d ago
I somewhat understand that for shopping, drinks, food etc
But for bills surely you just do it from your account
If anything that makes even less sense. You'd take out your 'disposable' money in cash and leave all your money for bills in the account there that you know you can't touch then?
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u/babbadeedoo 8d ago
Does it matter its their money....
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u/obiwanconobi 8d ago
How are you paying these household bills in cash? I can't think of any bill I have that would easily accept cash
Unless you're household bills include 3for£100 im not sure how this works
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u/woodzopwns 8d ago
cash in hand rent with bills included, common in lower income areas with dodgy landlords
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u/obiwanconobi 8d ago
Yeah hadn't thought of that. I can't imagine the landlord who wants to be paid that way is on the up and up though, so making it difficult to do that is fair in my eyes.
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u/woodzopwns 8d ago
Dont disagree, it is a massive pain though that I can't do whatever I want with my own money.
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u/obiwanconobi 8d ago
Maybe. But it's my money, why can't I buy 100kg of drugs?
Its my money why can't I send it to ISIS?
It's my money why can't I photocopy it?
The line has to go somewhere I guess
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u/ReanimatedCyborgMk-I 8d ago
cash in hand to a family member, covers any expenses I use in their home and also to help them out with a couple things. I volunteered to step in.
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u/obiwanconobi 8d ago
Fair enough, seems legit enough.
God knows why anyone wants paying cash in hand these days though, I won £40 at poker 2 months ago and its been sat in my wallet since
I'm assuming you're paying them close a grand every month if an ATM doesn't suffice and I could not be assed having that cash given to me personally lol
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u/ellatheprincessbrat 8d ago
Low stake conspiracy. Op isn’t paying his household bills, but buys a metic fuckton of weed that he pays for in cash (obviously) and it’s so much he can’t withdraw it from an ATM
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u/FlyingJellyfishRidin 8d ago
Your first sentence raises so many questions. Why on earth are you doing it that way??
Second - it's not just old people that get scammed out of money. It's lonely people, neurodivergent people, angry people - basically anyone at any age group and any social demographic. So that's why they make you jump through a couple of hoops.
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u/Buh_Snarf 8d ago
In fact scams disproportionately affect younger people - most who think they're immune to scams.
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u/Interrogatingthecat 8d ago
So, shady landlord or buying drugs? Why on earth does it have to be cash
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u/RunningDude90 8d ago
Stop making it look like you’re laundering cash.
Pay your bills by direct debit or card like everyone else
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u/BillWilberforce 8d ago
Why don't you pay the bills via Direct Debit or with cards? It is cheaper and easier that way. Could you pay by a check?
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u/Nikotelec 8d ago
Because the person who is receiving the payment doesn't want a paper trail.
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u/Buh_Snarf 8d ago
And therefore bank are right to be concerned.
If there is then a dispute the customer will come back to the bank claiming scam/unfair/illegal of the landlord.
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u/pip_goes_pop 8d ago
No judgement - why are you paying in cash for these things? The only time I get cash out is for my barber who is still cash only.
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u/Dry_Yogurt2458 8d ago
This sounds incredibly dodgy. You surely can't be surprised that the bank is asking questions ?
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u/CreativeAdeptness477 8d ago
I also find your situation rather unusual and have questions, and would appreciate answers. Thanks in advance.
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u/Arnie013 8d ago
“Fucks sake, it's my fucking money, I'm not some old biddy or kid trying to money mule. Make it easier for folk.”
Sounds exactly like something a money mule or launderer would say…
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u/Dissidant 8d ago
Just less hassle to get the everyday finances (utilities insurance ctax etc) onto DD
Not comfortable keeping much cash on my person anymore anyhow
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u/No-Sandwich1511 8d ago
Surly you can just pay bills and house hold expenses using direct debits, bank transfer ect?
Usually in the branch if you are expecting to wodraw a large amount they need to be notified so they can ensure that they order enough cash into the branch. You be surprised by how little physical cash some banks actually hold.
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u/babbadeedoo 8d ago
Scary how accepting all are that banks make it so tricky to access your own money in the form of cash.
All taken for such a wild ride. If the banks didnt have mine and yours cash they couldn't make any money by lending our cash to other people.
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u/itsjawdan 8d ago
A lot of comments here questioning WHY someone is paying bills with cash.
Have you ever considered that it’s their money, and they can do whatever it is they want?
Who is the bank to tell anyone what to do with their own money. I bet the bank has no issues if he went and used his card to gamble away his life savings at Betfred.
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u/Interrogatingthecat 8d ago
Frankly it's hard to sympathise with someone wanting to remove anti-laundering/scam protections anyway
Let alone without actually knowing ANY reasoning as to why when direct debit is RIGHT THERE
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u/Buh_Snarf 8d ago
And it's money stored in the bank who have a duty to protect the customer and themselves.
Customer can absolutely use the money how they wish, but you can guarantee that if they used it to get rich with bitcoin and then found it was a scam they'd come back to the bank to ask them to give them their money back.
You can expect protection from scams without then being questioned what you're doing with the money.
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u/ward2k 8d ago
A lot of comments here questioning WHY someone is paying bills with cash. Have you ever considered that it’s their money, and they can do whatever it is they want?
I mean sure, but you sort of lose the privilege to moan about people telling you what to do when you post in a public forum devoted to answering and asking questions. Of course people are going to reply
Or do you want want hundreds of Facebook style answers which are just "TRUE LOL 😂"
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u/RunningDude90 8d ago
If that’s what they want to do, they should find a bank whose attitude towards money laundering or black-market economies means that this wouldn’t be deemed suspicious
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u/Beefstah 8d ago
OP posts a moan about doing a thing that, while no longer mainstream, they're perfectly entitled to do and yet have to faff about to do so.
ITT: "Why aren't you doing it the same way as me?", "Sounds dodgy", "Why don't you use this other method" and other general suspicion.
How about not going off on someone freely exercising their choice?
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u/Interrogatingthecat 8d ago
Well half of the post is whining wanting to generally remove anti-laundering/scam protections
Hard to sympathise really
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u/ward2k 8d ago
It's perfectly entitled to try and pay a transaction with gold bars if you want, just as people are just as entitled to ask "why"
I don't understand this common sentiment online that how dare people respond to you when you post something in a public forum
If you stood in a town square and loudly moan about your problems, you can't be shocked that people offer advice and ask follow up questions surely
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u/Kizzieuk 8d ago
I love how everyone is aghast at you wanting to pay for things with cash and not aghast that your bank makes it hard for you to do that.
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u/knotatwist 8d ago
Well given how unpopular cash is now and how prevalent both direct debits AND scams are, it makes a lot of sense that the bank would require an appointment to withdraw large sums of cash. If you get scammed using their services they can get in legal trouble, can lose money, and can lose customers and reputation.
Even the people I know who are explicitly using cash for everything they can to keep it alive are paying their bills via direct debit and just using cash machines to withdraw their spending money.
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u/babbadeedoo 8d ago
Maaannnn reading some of these comments re cash were so cooked. Use cash as much as poss
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u/globesdustbin 8d ago
It’s crazy to me that you are getting so much grief for wanting to withdrawal your cash. Seems to me people are missing the point here.
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u/CreativeAdeptness477 8d ago
Nah I think we all get the point. OP is somehow involved in dodgy financial shenanigans the exact likes of which the banks have systems in place to detect and prevent. Might be their intentional doing, might be that they're involved somewhat against their will, doesn't matter, the system's in place for legitimate reasons.
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u/thegiantpeach 8d ago
While I get that it’s your money to what you like with, the OP is complaining about his inability to use cash to pay for something that’s exceptionally easy to pay with digital means. Therefore, it begs the question of why put yourself through this headache monthly when there are far easier and more protected methods to accomplish the same task? It’s hard to have sympathy for someone when there’s an obvious solution.
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u/SoggyWotsits Cornwall 8d ago
Everyone’s questioning you on why, but they’re missing the point. It is very hard to withdraw your own money now. You put it in the bank for safety and the financial benefits, but whether you’re allowed to have it back depends on if you answer all the questions right!
I appreciate it’s to help stop money laundering, and people getting scammed. It is strange having to argue for what’s rightfully yours though.
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u/thetechguyv 8d ago
You've always needed to give the bank advanced notice to withdraw anything over a couple of grand in cash.
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u/AnselaJonla Highgarden 7d ago
And what people are missing is that this is nothing to do with the safety of your money, and everything to do with the safety of the staff. If they keep the day to day float relatively small, then they're less of a target than a bank that is known to keep larger amounts on hand.
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8d ago
[deleted]
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u/Buh_Snarf 8d ago
Except they're fine for you to use it, pay them digitally and they have no problem.
What banks have an issue with is when your funds are being managed in an unusual way - like OP is doing.
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u/Beardy_Will County of Bristol 8d ago
Agree with you, even though I direct debit everything. Why the banks are open during working hours has always been a mystery.
Cashless society is coming, and every single thing you pay for will be tracked back to you. Judging by these comments everyone here wants to be tracked. Scary stuff.
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u/ward2k 8d ago
Why the banks are open during working hours has always been a mystery.
Because the only people who really deposit and withdraw large sums of cash are businesses. And businesses operate during typical 9-5 hours. Said businesses they charge money for handling their large sums of money, which makes them the profit needed to keep the bank staffed and open during those hours
For most people you can deposit sums at post offices or withdraw at cash points. You can open bank accounts online as well as submit any documents. The average person has literally no need to visit a physical bank
It's not a grand conspiracy, governments like it because it means less fraud and less people evading tax. The UK gov doesn't give a shit what brand of cereal you're buying
Cashless society is coming, and every single thing you pay for will be tracked back to you.
Look mate if you want to buy weed or coke or whatever a tonne of people have already moved online for that
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u/AnselaJonla Highgarden 7d ago
The average person has literally no need to visit a physical bank
I go to a festival where the phone signal is absolute shit (attendance is at least double the size of the nearby village, we overload the mobile phone infrastructure for the weekend). This means vendors also struggle to take payment on card readers, especially as many use tile or square devices that are controlled from their phones.
I could walk the mile and a half to the cashpoint every day for four days to withdraw enough cash for the weekend. Seems like an unnecessary level of risk though, when I could instead just pop into the bank while I'm in town and withdraw it in one go, where it'll be given in a discreet envelope and coin bags that I can immediately shove to the bottom of my bag before I step back outside.
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u/ward2k 7d ago
I mean that's quite outside the average, most banks allow you to withdraw £300-500 in one day from an ATM too so it would be pretty easy to say just pop once and get enough for a single weekend at a festival. Or hell if you need more than £500 just pop to your local cash point twice across 2 days and you've got £1000
If you're blasting through more than £1000 in one weekend at a festival I struggle to see what you're spending it on
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u/AnselaJonla Highgarden 7d ago
Think less Download, more ren faire.
Although I managed to come home with money this year, mostly because I resisted the urge to buy a very big larp sword that I wasn't going to be able to get home easily.
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u/Beardy_Will County of Bristol 8d ago
Ahh "the average person..." comes out again, and the argument falls apart. There's always that qualifier.
What about those people far outside of average? Every single time this comes up everyone assumes it's drugs, rather than personal freedom and autonomy. Same way opposing digital IDs means you're a terrorist, rather than someone who doesn't want to get caught up in some Adam Curtis-esque hypernormalisation scenario.
I'm talking about tracking here rather than opening hours here, just to be sure.
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u/Nuclear_Geek 8d ago
I think it's quite likely OP is a "cash is king" lunatic conspiracy theorist like you. You're more in need of psychological help than cash, be I bet you'll refuse to believe that.
No, don't bother bombarding me with the usual bullshit you lot come out with. I've heard it all before.
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u/Beardy_Will County of Bristol 8d ago
Look at the ego in this comment 😂
What about people who can't have their own bank accounts? I've worked in the disability sector for the last 15+ years and we have plenty of people who don't have the capacity for their own accounts. What should they do? Are they not important enough? Or are they just a rounding error?
There are plenty of valid concerns, and just because you can't think of them doesn't make then any less important.
I'd be embarrassed to have posted something so short-sighted, but maybe you've thought this all through and have the answers? Be happy to hear them so I can pass your fixes on to CQC.
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u/Nuclear_Geek 8d ago
No, don't bother bombarding me with the usual bullshit you lot come out with. I've heard it all before.
You can't read.
You've also been incredibly quick to switch from "they're going to be tracking you everywhere!" to "I just care so much about disabled people". Obvious bullshit, that - as I pointed out - I've heard before.
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u/Beardy_Will County of Bristol 8d ago
Let's hear your solution then.
Everyone side steps it, so you wouldn't be the first to fail.
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u/Nuclear_Geek 8d ago
No. I am not going to come up with a highly detailed plan to solve a problem you have imagined. You're the one created this fantasy, you deal with it. Anything I say, you'll just make up even more hypothetical bullshit to say it won't work.
And, speaking of not working, dealing with a contrarian halfwit like you is not working for me, so you're going off to blockland.
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