Short Answer
Bring £50-100 in cash for a 2-week UK trip. Sometimes you don't need any. Cards/contactless cover 95%+ of spending. Withdraw more from a bank ATM (free with most foreign cards via LINK network) only if you actually need cash.
Where You Need Cash
- Tips at boutique pubs when card terminal's broken
- Small village shops in the Cotswolds, Lake District (some not cashless)
- Rural pub lunches in remote areas
- Markets without card readers — Borough usually card; some smaller markets not
- Buskers / street performers — coins
- Offline/temporary card terminal failures
- Cathedral/church donations
Where Cards Work
- Restaurants, pubs, cafés — virtually 100% accept cards
- London Tube + buses — contactless only, no cash
- National Rail — contactless or app-based tickets
- Supermarkets — Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda all card
- Hotels — credit card on file
- Black cabs + Uber — both accept cards
- Museums + attractions — card preferred
Best Card Strategy
- Primary: Wise card — real exchange rate + free GBP withdrawals
- Backup: Revolut or your home credit card
- Decline DCC always — pay in GBP, never your home currency
- Tap to pay works everywhere — even £1 transactions
- Daily limits — most foreign cards have daily £500-1,000 limits, set higher in advance
ATM Tips
- LINK network ATMs — 50,000 in UK, mostly free with foreign cards
- Bank ATMs free — Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds, NatWest
- Supermarket ATMs free — Tesco, Sainsbury's
- Avoid: standalone ATMs in shops/petrol stations (£1.50-3 fee)
- Daily withdrawal: 250-500 max per ATM, your card limits also apply
- Decline DCC — choose GBP every time
💷 Cash math: A 2-week trip averaging £100/day = £1,400 spend. Of that, you'll typically use cash for ~£30-50 (small tips, cathedral donations, market snacks). Cards cover the rest.