I won't force shops to use cash: Sunak refuses to support elderly and vulnerable

It comes as the People's Channel launched the Don't Kill Cash campaign in response to concern vulnerable people who rely on cash are increasingly being left behind.

More than five million adults still rely on cash in the UK and it’s used in six billion transactions every year, but there are strong vested interests pushing for it to be permanently replaced by debit and credit cards and other electronic payments.

When asked by GB News' political editor Christopher Hope about whether Sunak supported the campaign, he said: "While I was Chancellor I put in place laws which have now passed to ensure that people do have access to cash because I understand how important it is.

"Of course, we're transitioning and using more electronic money and doing more things online but cash is important to people.

"Particularly in rural communities like the one I represent, but the new laws that we've now passed will ensure that people are not more than three miles away from having access to cash.

"The regulator, the FCA will have new powers to fine or compel banks to provide those services for people because we know how important they are - that's why we've passed the new laws."

He added: "People should have access to cash, it's a different thing for the Government to be imposing on individual businesses how they should do their business - I don't think that's appropriate.

"But what we can do is regulate the financial service industry so that people do have access to cash themselves."

GB News has continued to urge the Government to protect the status of cash as legal tender and as a widely accepted means of payment in the UK until at least 2050.

Earlier this month, Nigel Farage was joined by fellow GB News stars Bev Turner, Michelle Dewberry, Patrick Christys, and Economics and Business Editor Liam Halligan to deliver a letter to Chancellor Jeremy Hunt.

The Don’t Kill Cash petition has surpassed 300,000 signatures amid concerns Britain is fast becoming a cashless society, with more and more shops, pubs and cafes choosing to only accept card payments.

The campaign has received support from MPs across the political spectrum, including the Federation of Small Businesses and the Post Office are also among the supporters of the campaign.

Alan Soady, Federation of Small Businesses previously told the channel: "Cash is a really important part of the payment mix and lots of small businesses still very much value taking cash - as this GB News campaign highlights.

"The problems that they face, though, include where to put it. At the end of the day, so many bank branches have closed.

"The scope for the post office may be to have a role to take over that, but in many cases, particularly in rural areas, they have to drive many miles to bank the cash. So that's a barrier."