Despite reports that we are moving towards a ‘cashless’ society, you might still find yourself with notes you need to pay into your bank account.
How much cash can you deposit at a UK bank?
In January 2024, Finder visited the websites of the biggest UK banks and created a table with information on how much you can deposit, including details on depositing banknotes and coins. We found the following information on deposit limits.
Bank | Annual deposit limit | Daily deposit limit | Banknotes & coins | Read Review |
---|---|---|---|---|
Barclays |
£20,000 across all personal accounts, resetting each January. |
No specific daily limit mentioned but annual limit applies. |
Deposits can be made at self-service machines and branches. |
|
HSBC |
£20,000 maximum can be deposited per calendar year (January to December). |
£3,000 cash per day at any Post Office. Coin is limited to £250, sorted by denomination in full coin bags |
Deposits can be made at self-service machines and branches. |
|
NatWest |
£24,000 in rolling 12-month period when using Post Office or Cash & Deposit machines. |
£3,000 per day at branches, Post Office, or Cash & Deposit machines. |
Deposits can be made at self-service machines, branches and Post Office locations. |
|
RBS |
£24,000 in rolling 12-month period when using Post Office or Cash & Deposit machines. |
£3,000 per day at branches, Post Office, or Cash & Deposit machines. |
Deposits can be made at self-service machines, branches and Post Office locations. |
|
Santander |
£10,000 for personal account and £240,000 for business customers. |
£2,000 per day. |
Deposits can be made at self-service machines, branches and Post Office locations. |
|
Nationwide |
No specific annual limit mentioned. |
£2,500 per day at a self-serve cash machine, with a limit of no more than 90 notes per day. |
Deposits can be made at self-service machines and branches. |
|
Lloyds Bank |
£20,000 per calendar year when depositing via the Post Office. |
No specific daily limit mentioned but limited to £2,995 per month over Post Office counters. |
Deposits can be made at self-service machines, branches and Post Office locations. |
|
Halifax |
£20,000 per calendar year when depositing via the Post Office. |
No specific daily limit mentioned but limited to £2,995 per month over Post Office counters. |
Deposits can be made at self-service machines, branches and Post Office locations. |
|
Bank of Scotland |
£20,000 per calendar year when depositing via the Post Office. |
No specific daily limit mentioned but limited to £2,995 per month over Post Office counters. |
Deposits can be made at self-service machines, branches and Post Office locations. |
|
TSB |
£10,000 for personal accounts and £250,000 for business accounts when using the Post Office. |
£1,500 per day for personal accounts and £10,000 per day for business accounts at the Post Office. |
Deposits can be made at self-service machines, branches and Post Office locations. |
These limits are put in place to flag any suspicious activity, ensure that anti-money laundering protocols are followed and protect customers from financial crime.
Most banks have a limit for depositing at cash machines or ATMs – this is likely to be around £2,000-£3,000 a day or around 30-50 notes, depending on the bank. There are also limits for depositing cash at the Post Office, but this will vary between banks.
Some UK banks have also started setting an overall limit on cash deposits. Barclays, for example, will only permit personal banking customers to deposit £20,000 in cash over a year from July 2024.
Natwest has a £24,000 annual cash deposit limit for any machine deposits, including those in branch. There is also a cap of £3,000 a day. These limits do not apply to in-person deposits in branch.
How to deposit cash in a UK bank
To deposit your hard-earned cash at your bank, you’ll first need to open a bank account if you don’t already have one.
Bank branch. For larger sums or if you prefer to speak to someone about your deposit, you can go into your local bank branch and request a deposit. You’ll need your debit card and PIN.
Cash machine. For smaller sums, you can use a cash machine to deposit the money and you’ll just need your bank card and PIN to pay the money.
Post office. It’s also possible to deposit cash, although there are typically limits in place. If you’d prefer to deposit cash at the Post Office, you can check out our guide to paying money in there.
Can you deposit money regularly?
Yes, you can deposit cash regularly, so long as this doesn’t go over any limits put in place by your bank. However, keep in mind that if you are regularly depositing large sums of money into your bank account, this may be flagged as suspicious activity and reported in line with the government’s Money Laundering Regulations.
Bottom line
There is no official cash deposit limit in the UK, but depositing large amounts or paying in a lot of cash regularly may raise suspicion and your bank could report it for investigation. There may also be specific limits in place by your bank – especially for ATM or post office deposits – so it’s worth checking the restrictions before paying in.
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