Free ATMs at risk due to tax change
Shopkeepers have received bills running into the tens of thousands of pounds for their ATMs.
Shopkeepers are warning that free cash machines outside stores will soon start to disappear, due to a change in the way they’re taxed.
Cash machines operated by a third party such as a corner shop, pub or supermarket are now seen as a separate business and taxed accordingly, thanks to a move by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA).
The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) is calling on the Government to exempt ATMs from business rates, which cost up to £15,000 per machine.
More than 10,000 ATMs are affected by the charge, which is based on how often the machine is used and how much cash is withdrawn. In-store machines will not be charged.
Some shop owners are facing huge one-off bills, because the charges are being backdated to 2010.
The ACS has written to the Government urging action. It wrote: “We believe that ATMs are a high street enabler providing shared benefits to a range of traders, allowing consumers to access their cash and spend it within their local communities.”
Track down your nearest free ATM
One way to find a nearby free ATM is to use the Link ATM Locator. You can also do an advanced search to find out which machines offer other services like mobile phone top-ups and ones that dispense £5 notes.
What do you think? Should the Government exempt ATMs from business rates? Let us know your thoughts in the comments box below.
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