New £300-a-day cash rule at Lloyds from September 2025: will PayPoint near you change your banking?

Cash is creeping back into daily life, but high streets keep changing. A new phone-based shortcut now meets both worlds.

From September 2025, Lloyds customers can turn a quick shop stop into a cash deposit, using a barcode on their phone at thousands of counters.

What the £300 rule means for you

Lloyds has launched a barcode cash-deposit feature in its mobile app. You can pay in notes and coins at more than 30,000 PayPoint locations nationwide. The daily limit is £300, with a monthly cap of £600. The barcode that unlocks the service lasts for two hours from generation.

Deposit up to £300 per day and £600 per month by showing a two-hour barcode at over 30,000 PayPoint counters.

PayPoint says 94% of its sites open seven days a week. According to network coverage data, 99.5% of the UK population lives within a mile of a PayPoint store. That reach turns convenience stores and petrol forecourts into banking touchpoints.

Where and when you can deposit

Any participating PayPoint till can scan the barcode and take your cash. Many locations sit inside corner shops, newsagents and supermarkets. Opening hours vary by retailer, but evenings and weekends are common, which helps shift workers and carers.

You can still use Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland branches for larger deposits. Lloyds’ cash-in and cash-out machines remain in place. Banking Hubs offer staffed counters run by the Post Office, and 11,500 Post Offices across the UK continue to support day‑to‑day banking, including cash deposits and withdrawals.

How the barcode cash deposit works

The option appears in the “Everyday” section of the Lloyds app. It generates a unique code tied to your account for a short window. Staff scan the code, count your cash, and the money goes into your account.

Generate. Scan. Pay in. No card needed, just your phone and the cash you want to deposit.

Step-by-step

• Open the Lloyds mobile app and go to the Everyday section.
• Choose the cash deposit feature to create a barcode.
• Check the two-hour window and head to a PayPoint counter.
• Show the code, hand over notes and coins, and keep the receipt.
• Track the deposit in your transactions; timing may vary by store cut-off.

The limits, explained

The headline rule sets a ceiling of £300 per day and £600 per calendar month for barcode deposits. That suits occasional cash and low‑volume traders. People who handle more cash still have branch, Post Office or Banking Hub options.

Think in slices. Six deposits of £50 will exhaust the £300 daily cap. Twelve deposits of £50 will hit the £600 monthly cap. A single £250 deposit leaves just £50 available that day. A fresh daily allowance resets the next day, and the monthly allowance resets at month end.

Plan around the £300 daily and £600 monthly caps: break larger sums into days, or use other channels for bigger amounts.

Other ways to pay in cash with Lloyds

Lloyds keeps multiple routes open. That matters for rural communities and for those who prefer a counter service.

Who gains most

People paid in tips, parents collecting cash for school events, market traders, taxi drivers, and club treasurers all benefit from flexible hours. City workers can pay in near the commute, while rural customers gain options when the nearest branch sits miles away.

Security and good practice

• Create the barcode just before you go, as it expires after two hours.
• Shield your phone screen at the till and avoid sharing the code.
• Count your cash beforehand and ask for a printed receipt.
• Check the app soon after to confirm the deposit shows.
• Store receipts until the balance fully updates.

The code links to your account rather than your card. That reduces the need to carry a wallet. Still treat the code as sensitive and time your visit to limit exposure.

Why this matters now

High streets are adapting. Many bank branches have reduced opening hours or closed. Meanwhile, cash still plays a role for budgeting, gifting and small trades. By using the retail counter you already visit for milk or parcels, Lloyds turns routine errands into banking moments.

The coverage numbers are striking. With 99.5% of people within a mile of a PayPoint shop, the network reaches deep into communities. Longer opening windows suit those who cannot visit a branch at lunch.

Practical planning for regular cash

Map your likely deposits across a typical month. If you usually bank £800 in cash, you could pay in £600 via barcode and route the balance through a branch, Post Office or Hub. If weekends suit you, split takings across Saturday and Sunday to use two daily allowances of £300 each, subject to the monthly cap.

If your trading peaks near month end, watch the £600 ceiling. You might bank £450 by the 28th, then wait until the 1st for another £300. Keep alternatives ready for urgent larger sums.

Costs, eligibility and what to check

Account terms and conditions apply. Some account types handle cash differently. Review your tariff for any limits or charges that may apply to cash services. If you run a business, confirm whether your account supports barcode deposits and whether separate business limits exist.

Lloyds now offers one of the widest mixes of cash deposit routes: app barcode, branches, Post Office counters, Banking Hubs and machines.

For households, this feature supports cash budgeting. Put aside cash during the week and pay it in when you pass a participating store. For micro‑businesses, it adds resilience. If a branch line runs long or a hub is closed, a nearby PayPoint can keep cash flowing into your account.