Martin Lewis has shared an important warning in relation to a law around how people pay in shops and supermarkets.

According to the Money Saving Expert, shops are legally allowed to refuse cash payment for items as long as they are not discriminating against the customer.

The issue was previously mentioned on ITV's The Martin Lewis Money Show, where the discussion of legal tender was brought up.

Lewis responded saying shops were not breaking any rules by refusing to accept cash.

He said: "You are allowed to take card only as long as it's not discriminatory for race or disability or something."

He then went on to explain the actual definition of legal tender.

"Legal tender has a strict definition.

"It means if you have a court awarded debt against you if someone tries to settle and they're paying in the legal tender you cannot refuse it.

"And that's all it means."

Lancashire Telegraph:

Martin said notes and cash are a legal currency for spending purposes but in some parts of the country, the only legal tender is actually coins.

Whith the idea of getting rid of cash altogether, Martin said: "I know many people are saying 'why don't we just switch to a cashless society?'

"I don't want that, because there are many vulnerable people who need cash."

This comes after many ATMs and bank branches have been closing down - including a branch of Santander in Darwen, leaving the town with only one remaining bank -  however there was some good news despite this.

Martin added: "The Government has said that once we leave the EU in January it will change the rules so if you want to get cash out from a supermarket you don't have to buy anything."

At the moment, shoppers are still being encouraged to use contactless payment when they are visiting the supermarket, as contactless methods have been preferred to cash during the coronavirus pandemic as it is thought to reduce contact between people, allowing for social distancing between shoppers and till staff.

But contactless, either through a card or phone, is not available to everybody all of the time and there are those who prefer to use cash when paying for goods.

While the UK's major supermarkets all say they would prefer customers to use contactless when they can, it does not mean they will not accept cash at all.

Visit itv.com for episodes of The Martin Lewis Money Show.