canute

Are there any HSBC ATMs at Heathrow (Airside) which take Cash Deposits (£) into checking account? Preferably Terminal 3 or 5.

UKtravelbear

It's been a long time since any ATM (even for my own bank) that I've used has offered a cash deposit service.

You might be better contacting HSBC direct though.

Swanhunter

The only HSBC ATMs that take deposits are in their branches. The closest with reasonable access to LHR is in Hounslow, not far from Hounslow Central tube.

Note ATM access will almost certainly only be possible during opening hours.

BearX220

Now there's something I've never understood about UK consumer banking protocol. Isn't the main point of an ATM to be able to do things during off hours?

:D!

HSBC has specialised ATMs which only take deposits of banknotes into HSBC (and FD and M&S) accounts. These are located inside branches and therefore are inaccessible when the branches are closed. However, HSBC tellers are only ever open 0900-1700 and so when the branch is open outside of these hours, the only option for depositing notes is the ATM.

Deposit ATMs are also available in Lloyds (and probably TSB) and Halifax. I'm not sure about Natwest and Barclays.

Withdrawal ATMs are located inside and outside branches, and those provided by banks can be used by any UK customer from any bank free of charge.

Santander has ATMs that can perform both withdrawals and deposits. These are located inside and outside branches. The ones inside branches are instantaneous (and one may be able to access these out of hours by swiping one's bank card to gain access into the branch when it is closed). The ones outside branches, AFAIK, just hold the notes until the staff come in the next banking day - though the ATM will warn you that your deposit will not be credited instantly.

BTW, I believe the actual British term is "cashpoint" - ATM is an Americanism.

rwoman

Barclays also has machines inside some branches that accept deposits.

I do find it baffling how so few cash machines accept deposits here.

Andy33

NatWest and Nationwide both have machines inside branches that can accept deposits and be used to withdraw cash.
All the banks have other ways for businesses to deposit cash/cheque takings out of banking hours, so we're really talking only about personal customers here.

rwoman

Yes *only* millions of personal banking customers...in a country where banks have pretty limited hours outside 9-5.

stut

I know Lloyds generally have "depositpoints" available in 24-hour lobbies (and have some pretty cool OCR cheque deposit machines inside some branches). However, I can't actually remember the last time I wrote or received a cheque!

Flying Flis

Some HSBC branches have these as well, but not that many.

Andy33

But also in a country where most of these millions do not receive payments by cash or cheque very often, because wages, pensions, social security benefits, stock dividends etc are now almost always paid directly into bank accounts and it is easy to transfer money to other peoples' accounts. In fact possession of large amounts in cash is regarded with suspicion by the authorities (possible money launderer/drug dealer/terrorist) and banks report non-business customers making large cash deposits.

Personally I've only needed to deposit cheques or cash twice in the last twelve months.
As Stut says, there are machines in some bank lobbies that accept deposits and are accessible out of the limited hours (and the OCR machines are excellent), and while banks usually only provide teller service 9-5, they are now open on Saturdays which they used not to be. No, I do not work for a bank!

Mizter T

"Cashpoint" is actually a trademark of Lloyds Bank, but yes it's been used as a generic term for yonks.

"Hole in the wall" is also a common slang term, but Barclays Bank have (rather cheekily IMO) managed to trademark it.

"ATM" is not really something found that often in speech amongst native speakers, though I'd think most people would probably know what it means nowadays. Thing is, we never had "bank tellers" here, we had (and have) "bank cashiers" - hence ATM being a bit of an American import.

stut

"Cash machine" is used quite a lot, too.

Andy33

And if you get to Northern Ireland, you don't deposit money in an account, you "make a lodgement" - still the UK but different banks, or different subsidiaries of the same banks.

Mizter T

Yep, I should have mentioned that - I'd say that's definitely the most common term used, with cashpoint coming in second.

As these names suggest, the focus is on getting cash out, not depositing cash or cheques in to an account. The vast majority of ATMs here don't handle deposits.