How can normal people pay cash in at the bank?

JustAnotherSaver

For those of us who don't have the perks of part time/shift work or are not off on whatever sort of leave, how are we to pay cash in to our accounts?

I only get a Saturday since i start work way before any high street bank is open and i finish a fair bit after they close. I went in early today - about 10am, armed with Nationwide, Halifax & HSBC cards to pay cash in. I thought i'd be able to get at least 1 of the 3. The whole lot were closed.

Going on my 'dinner hour' isn't an option since unlike all these people that talk of 'dinner hours' i don't actually get an hour. I get half an hour & that wouldn't even be enough time to make it to my nearest bank, never mind get back before my time is up.

Obviously this is due to Covid. Is this lack of availability area specific or throughout the country?

theoretica

Can you get to a post office in its open hours?

eskbanker

Are any post offices accessible?

p00hsticks

Mickey666 said:

Find a cash machine that accepts deposits.  I've used them many times for cheques but they also accept cash.

You just select 'deposit' from the menu and the machine will issue an envelope.  You put your cheque or cash in the envelope and enter the amount, you then insert the envelope into the machine and it issues a receipt.

That only works if we are talking about notes rather than coins - the OP wasn't specific about which they were referring to.
I always used to use Nationwide to pay cash (notes) or cheques in, as they were the only ones round here  where you could do it via ATMS actually situated outside the branch. and hence could still use when the branch was closed for the day. Unfortunately the removed the ATM when they permanently closed the branch :-(

colsten

With very few exceptions, you can pay cash into your bank through the post  office https://www.postoffice.co.uk/everydaybanking

elsien

colsten said:

With very few exceptions, you can pay cash into your bank through the post  office https://www.postoffice.co.uk/everydaybanking

Thanks - that's handy to know. I also have the not able to go in the week and the bank closed on Saturday issue. 

lr1277

I don't know if this is applicable in this situation but paying cheques in may not be straightforward. In October I tried to pay a cheque into my FD account at the Post Office. I took the one remaining FD envelope. Apparently FD haven't sent the envelopes out for a while (at that time).

Thrugelmir

Can you not spend the cash rather than bank it? 

greyteam1959

Where is the cash coming from & how much are we talking about ??

Stuart_W

I'm doing regular shopping for a few neighbours still and they are paying me in cash (tried suggesting various other options but they prefer cash - and some are shielding so goodness knows how much they've got under the mattress!). My bank allows post office deposits but my local post office always has long queues and isn't particularly covid secure. Visited a few times since March last year, each time  no social distancing, handed a shared pen to sign for a package,  no sanitiser available (although I always carry my own) so I prefer not to visit if possible for the time being, just a personal choice.
For all this cash I keep accumulating I'm paypointing it in to credit my Amazon account when I'm at my local Co-op, where I'm visiting anyway in-between online orders. 
In your Amazon account just go to Your Account > Top Up > Top Up In Store to find a barcode that can be scanned at any paypoint, post office, Poundland or epay store to instantly top up your Amazon account (just like a gift card).
If you're not talking a huge amount of cash and you shop with Amazon this is an alternative option you might want to consider. 

DCFC79

Is the cash going to be regular ?
So you work 6 days a week ? I guess some people might.

Can you ask someone to pay it in for you ?