Code of Conduct

Local Cash Recycling

Not all cash is withdrawn by consumers, exchanged for goods or services with a retailer, and then deposited back to the bank to be checked and sorted at a cash centre. Often cash can be locally recycled, for example by becoming float in a retailers till or self-service machine, before being handed to a later consumer as part of their change, or dispensed through an ATM or self-service checkout. Wherever an individual gets hold of their cash, UK Finance is working to ensure that they can have confidence in the system.  

Authentication of Machine-Dispensed Banknotes

The Code of Conduct for the Authentication of Machine-Dispensed Banknotes aims to ensure notes dispensed from customer-operated cash dispensers (e.g. ATMs or self-service checkouts) are genuine. This helps maintain confidence in the currency in two ways.  First, customers know that they can safely use these cash dispensers. Second, it ensures these machines do not accept counterfeit notes, minimising UK counterfeit levels and preventing financial losses for the businesses who operate these machines. If you are responsible for filling a machine that dispenses Bank of England, Scottish or Norther Irish banknotes then you should follow these principles.

The Code of Conduct for the Authentication of Machine-Dispensed Banknotes aims to ensure notes dispensed from customer-operated cash dispensers (e.g. ATMs or self-service checkouts) are genuine, to help maintain confidence in the currency. If you are responsible for filling a machine that dispenses Bank of England, Scottish or Northern Irish banknotes then you should follow these principles:

1. Make sure your banknotes are checked by a machine
   Your notes need to be checked by an authentication machine* before you put them in the dispenser. You can do this on site with an approved device, or your note supplier can do it.
    
2. Use only genuine banknotes
   Only use notes that a machine has authenticated as genuine.
    
3. Maintain your machines
   Maintain your authentication machines according to the manufacturer's instructions.
    
4. Take responsibility 
   You must ensure this guidance is followed.

*The machines used to authenticate the notes must be listed on the Machine Testing Framework issued by the Bank of England or the Association for Commercial Banknote Issuers.

The Code is owned by the Bank of England with support from UK Finance. It is sponsored by the British Retail Consortium (BRC), LINK and the Association of Commercial Banknote Issuers (ACBI), on behalf of their members.

For the Code document, please click here 

Unsure whether the Code applies to your organisation? Please  click here.

Code Flow Charts

UK Finance hosts the documentation relating to the Bank of England Code of Conduct for Machine Authenticated Banknotes. More information can be found here.

For the Code document, please click here.