Online banking appears to be dominating the way people in Wiltshire handle their money, as more than half of banks in Devizes and Chippenham have closed since 2015.

Analysis from consumer champion Which? has shown a sharp decline in the number of bank branches open in areas across much of the UK compared to seven years ago.

Four in five banks in North Wiltshire have also closed since 2015.

In Devizes, figures up to the end of April that eight banks have been shuttered in the town since the start of 2015, leaving seven remaining in the area.

Separate figures from LINK, a cash machine network, show there has also been a decline in the number of free-to-use ATMs across the UK in recent years.

Their data shows that between the start of 2018 and early March this year, the number of ATMs in Devizes dropped from 66 to 38.

The figures up to the end of April also show nine banks have been shuttered in Chippenham since the start of 2015, leaving 10 remaining in the area.

Between the start of 2018 and early March this year, the number of ATMs in the town dropped from 65 to 49.

The increasing use of online banking and contactless payments has led to concerns some will be left behind, or unable to access key services.

Which? chief executive, Anabel Hoult, said: “While the pandemic has accelerated the move to digital payments for many consumers, many are not yet ready to make that switch and require protection from an avalanche of ATM and bank branch closures that have left the UK’s cash system at risk of collapse.”

A bill to protect access to cash was announced as part of the Queen’s Speech in May.

Economic secretary to the Treasury, John Glen, said: “We know that access to cash is still vital for many people, especially those in vulnerable groups.

“We promised we would protect it, and through this bill, we are delivering on that promise.”

Full details on what will be included are yet to be published.

Which? welcomed the bill but said it “must ensure that clear requirements are placed on industry to meet communities’ need for cash”.

Its data found that nearly half (48%) of bank branches across the UK have closed since the start of 2015, and seven constituencies have seen every one of their bank branches closed in recent years.