Britons prepping for major disruption with cash and tins, Link survey

New data from Link, the UK’s ATM network, based on a YouGov poll in March 2026, indicates a rising number of Britons are taking practical steps to prepare for potential major disruptions to services. Respondents reported keeping emergency cash, stockpiling tinned food and ensuring battery-powered devices are available as part of personal contingency planning.

The poll asked what people would do if card and mobile payments were unavailable: 54% said they would withdraw cash from an ATM, 46% said they would use supplies they had at home, 41% would use cash carried on their person and 36% would use cash kept at home. In terms of preparedness actions already taken, 49% reported having battery-powered items at home, 47% a supply of tinned food and 17% a stash of cash specifically set aside for such scenarios. The survey sample was 2,137 people and was weighted to be representative of UK adults.

From a payments perspective, Link continues to monitor cash usage and access across the UK; while digital payments have increased, the network’s data show that cash remains a critical fallback for many households. In the event of wide-scale IT failures or power outages, demand for ATM withdrawals and physical cash could surge, creating operational pressures for banks and ATM operators.

The survey comes amid heightened geopolitical tensions and cost-of-living pressures that are influencing consumer sentiment. Broader market reporting has noted a trend of households delaying major purchases and increasing precautionary saving in response to conflict-driven supply risks and price shocks. These macro factors help explain why practical preparedness measures have become more common among the public.

Analysts say the findings underline the need for stronger resilience in payment infrastructure and contingency planning across the financial sector. For policymakers and market participants, the behavioural shift could translate into short-term impacts on retail sales patterns, ATM cash logistics and measures of consumer confidence; over the medium term, it may reinforce investment in redundancy and cyber resilience in critical financial infrastructure.