New research from consumer group Which? claims that one in 10 of Britain’s free-to-use cash machines has either closed or started charging a fee over the past 17 months.

The organization found that the most deprived areas were losing access to their cash from ATMs at a faster rate.

Which? chief executive Anabel Hoult and Natalie Ceeney, chair of the independent Access to Cash Review have written to Chancellor Sajid Javid to call on the government to take action.

Jenny Ross, Which? Money Editor, says: “The government and regulators  must urgently get a grip on these rapid changes to the cash landscape and guarantee people across the UK can continue to access

this important payment method for as long as it is required.”