Half of UK adult shoppers now use phones to make regular payments
When choosing a payment method 57% of UK adults are tapping their phones to pay for everyday purchases, according to new figures from UK Finance.
The banking trade body states that the rise in mobile payments reflects a shift in consumer habits, with people opting for the convenience of smartphone wallets over traditional cards or cash.
Last year, 50% of adults made payments with services like Apple Pay or Google Pay at least once a month—up from just 34% the year before.
Among younger people, the numbers are even higher. More than three-quarters of 16 to 24-year-olds now regularly use their phones to make payments, while usage among 35 to 44-year-olds has increased from 38% to 59%.
Even older age groups are getting on board. Nearly one in five over-65s now make mobile payments.
The trend is causing a small drop in contactless card use, though debit cards remain the most popular payment method. Cash use continues to decline, making up less than 10% of all payments.
Despite this, around 50 million people still used ATMs last year—highlighting that cash remains vital for some.
Campaigners warn that not everyone is ready for a digital-only future.
Adrian Roberts of Link said people on lower incomes or in vulnerable situations often rely on cash and could be left behind.
He also raised concerns about resilience—asking what happens in the event of a digital outage?
Meanwhile, regulators are considering removing the £100 limit on contactless card payments, aligning them more closely with smartphone payments, which have no cap.