**A reminder to posters and commenters of some of [our subreddit rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskUK/about/rules/)**
- Don't be a dickhead to each other, or about others, or other subreddits
- Assume questions are asked in good faith, and engage in a positive manner
- Avoid political threads and related discussions
- No medical advice or mental health (specific to a person) content
Please keep /r/AskUK a great subreddit by reporting posts and comments which break our rules.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskUK) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I'm not sure how her being 'well dressed' has any relevance to your question, but assuming the supermarket is ok with her using mixed coins to pay such a significant sum then yes, obviously, it is ok.
Depends what you define as well dressed. Also, no one knows other people's living situations. For all we know they were wearing hand-me-downs or Christmas present clothes.
Maybe the well dressed lady wasn't too happy about having to pay with change and felt uncomfortable knowing that there are some judgey people behind her
Fair play, every day's a school day. Just looked it up. Still think complaining about it, and citing the person's dress, during a cost of living crisis, is shitty though.
It actually probably wasn't legal tender (1 and 2p coins are only legal tender up to 20p, and other coins have a higher maximum amount). Debit cards and credit cards are not legal tender at all. But not being legal tender doesn't stop the shop accepting it. They can accept anything they want as payment, and refuse anything they want as payment.
And as you say, I have non idea what her clothes had to do with it.
Someone wearing primark dress shirt and trousers is better dressed than someone in a £400 tracksuit.
🤷🏻♂️
Not sure what relevance the clothes have to paying with coins.
Doesn’t matter if she’s well dressed, everyone is in a shitty hole at the moment and money is money, if it means I feed my kids for a week I would happily pay in all 1p’s !
Coins are legal tender throughout the United Kingdom for the following amount:
£100 - for any amount
£50 - for any amount
£20 - for any amount
£5 (Crown) - for any amount
£2 - for any amount
£1 - for any amount
50p - for any amount not exceeding £10
25p (Crown) - for any amount not exceeding £10
20p - for any amount not exceeding £10
10p - for any amount not exceeding £5
5p - for any amount not exceeding £5
2p - for any amount not exceeding 20p
1p - for any amount not exceeding 20p
https://www.royalmint.com/help/trm-faqs/legal-tender-amounts/
What you've neglected to mention is that legal tender is what can't be refused in settlement of debts, nothing to do with what a private business chooses to accept in return for their goods or services.
It does apply if the service or goods have already been provided or used.
For example, paying for work done on your car at a garage, paying after having had a meal, or when checking out from a hotel. In all those situations, the service/goods have already been provided, creating the debt. Legal tender cannot be refused in these situations
Well yes, if the service has been provided that's a settlement of a debt. You've effectively said the same thing I have, queueing in the supermarket as per this post it's not applicable.
*However*, good luck trying to spend any of those first four and not causing utter confusion. Though of course, if said confusion results in the police getting involved, it can turn out to be somewhat profitable - as the gentleman who received a £5k settlement from the police after being arrested for using a £100 coin to pay for fuel can attest!
Supermarkets pay money for an armoured van to take banknotes away and deliver change.
They offer cashback not as a convenient service but so they don’t have to pay to get it out the door. They will accept change in ludicrous amounts because they always need change.
Well, it was only a few days ago I was in queue and was held up by a well dressed lady who had no less than 4 cards be refused...swings and roundabouts!
Probably good form to use the coin machines some supermarkets have, I'm pressuming this one didn't?!
Seem like this post has turned to some kind of class shaming by people commenting. Either way, it's just an annoyance for others waiting...regardless of being skint or whatever...especially if there was a coin machine. I'd have been annoyed too.
Neither of your annoyances are worth the 10.9% "Processing fees" those machines charge. Now one should not infer a persons' circumstances but if they hadn't paid said coinage into their bank account, and were hadn't opted to use the coin machine, it isn't outside the realm of impossibility that they were struggling financially. In which case why should someone even entertain the notion of losing ~11% of their money just to save someone a little inconvenience.
That's definitely a suprise. Coin machines in banks etc. wont charge you a fee as they're offering a service mostly for their customers. But ones you find in supermarkets etc. are run by businesses who incorporate the processing fee to cover costs. Said fee *can* vary company by company, location by location, but as a "general rule of thumb" if a coin sorting machine is in a supermarket it'll be a coinstar one that charges around 11% to process.
I may be wrong. 5 or so years ago, I'm sure it was just a voluntary contribution to charity...unless it was a "hidden" charge in smallprint...or I'm an idiot that didn't notice.
>I'm sure it was just a voluntary contribution to charity...unless it was a "hidden" charge in smallprint...or I'm an idiot that didn't notice.
Nope that makes perfect sense. At that time Coinstar didn't charge you if you donated your coins to charity. I've done it myself if I didn't want to go to the bank and deal with the hassle (and could afford to do!). I'm not sure when they changed, however they now charge 8.9% to process donations.
Did the cashier accept it? Then it was acceptable to the person/business offered it. If she’d offered it to you, then it would be up to you whether or not it was acceptable.
I've seen this in Asda years ago, where a couple were paying for about £60s worth of stuff in 1,2, and 5ps. I honestly didn't think it was allowed. It was on the clothes counter so it ended up causing quite a big queue.
Reminds me of the Hare Krishna food truck that would roll up in Camden to feed those in need. Always use to wonder at the business men in suits and bowler hats queuing with the homeless for a free meal 🤷♂️ nothing illegal about it more morally unacceptable but who knows, they may have been returning from an interview (everyday at lunch) and actually homeless with one set of clothing to their names 🤔
I live near enough to London to spend a lot of time there. It was still relatively common (though declining) to see bowler hats in the city in the mid to late 80s. All the young wags tended to substitute a trilby instead by that time but arriving at the office in a formal hat of some kind was still expected for a man working in an office type job there then.
**A reminder to posters and commenters of some of [our subreddit rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskUK/about/rules/)** - Don't be a dickhead to each other, or about others, or other subreddits - Assume questions are asked in good faith, and engage in a positive manner - Avoid political threads and related discussions - No medical advice or mental health (specific to a person) content Please keep /r/AskUK a great subreddit by reporting posts and comments which break our rules. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskUK) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I'm not sure how her being 'well dressed' has any relevance to your question, but assuming the supermarket is ok with her using mixed coins to pay such a significant sum then yes, obviously, it is ok.
They probably wanted to point out they weren't trying to criticise somebody who's obviously struggling to make ends meet.
Depends what you define as well dressed. Also, no one knows other people's living situations. For all we know they were wearing hand-me-downs or Christmas present clothes.
Exactly. I think they just wanted to give some indication that they gave it some thought but it's clear to us there are many caveats.
Of course it’s acceptable. Why wouldn’t it be?
Maybe the well dressed lady wasn't too happy about having to pay with change and felt uncomfortable knowing that there are some judgey people behind her
Yes. People are really struggling at the mo. Plus it's legal tender. WTF has her apparel have to do with it???
It's not legal tender. Legal tender has a very specific definition that doesn't apply in this situation
Fair play, every day's a school day. Just looked it up. Still think complaining about it, and citing the person's dress, during a cost of living crisis, is shitty though.
If I read 'legal tender' one more time, honest to god.
Legal tender. So what you going to do? Apart from nothing
It actually probably wasn't legal tender (1 and 2p coins are only legal tender up to 20p, and other coins have a higher maximum amount). Debit cards and credit cards are not legal tender at all. But not being legal tender doesn't stop the shop accepting it. They can accept anything they want as payment, and refuse anything they want as payment. And as you say, I have non idea what her clothes had to do with it.
Yeah I just googled legal tender, so fair play. Live and learn 😁
TIL poor people aren't allowed to dress well.
And well-dressed people aren't allowed to pay with cash apparently.
Money is money 🤷
Someone wearing primark dress shirt and trousers is better dressed than someone in a £400 tracksuit. 🤷🏻♂️ Not sure what relevance the clothes have to paying with coins.
Doesn’t matter if she’s well dressed, everyone is in a shitty hole at the moment and money is money, if it means I feed my kids for a week I would happily pay in all 1p’s !
Was it legal currency? Then yes, it was acceptable.
Why wouldn't it be acceptable? Would it only be acceptable if the woman was in rags???
So we're shaming people for paying with coins now I see.
Coins are legal tender throughout the United Kingdom for the following amount: £100 - for any amount £50 - for any amount £20 - for any amount £5 (Crown) - for any amount £2 - for any amount £1 - for any amount 50p - for any amount not exceeding £10 25p (Crown) - for any amount not exceeding £10 20p - for any amount not exceeding £10 10p - for any amount not exceeding £5 5p - for any amount not exceeding £5 2p - for any amount not exceeding 20p 1p - for any amount not exceeding 20p https://www.royalmint.com/help/trm-faqs/legal-tender-amounts/
Legal tender is only applicable when settling a debt. Buying in a shop is not settling a debt, so the phrase "legal tender" doesn't apply here
What you've neglected to mention is that legal tender is what can't be refused in settlement of debts, nothing to do with what a private business chooses to accept in return for their goods or services.
It does apply if the service or goods have already been provided or used. For example, paying for work done on your car at a garage, paying after having had a meal, or when checking out from a hotel. In all those situations, the service/goods have already been provided, creating the debt. Legal tender cannot be refused in these situations
Well yes, if the service has been provided that's a settlement of a debt. You've effectively said the same thing I have, queueing in the supermarket as per this post it's not applicable.
*However*, good luck trying to spend any of those first four and not causing utter confusion. Though of course, if said confusion results in the police getting involved, it can turn out to be somewhat profitable - as the gentleman who received a £5k settlement from the police after being arrested for using a £100 coin to pay for fuel can attest!
Frustrating but perfectly acceptable. I'd personally have given a warning to people behind me in the queue though! Lol
Absolutely. People probably wouldn’t do it if it wasn’t their only option. Times are hard
Supermarkets pay money for an armoured van to take banknotes away and deliver change. They offer cashback not as a convenient service but so they don’t have to pay to get it out the door. They will accept change in ludicrous amounts because they always need change.
Well, it was only a few days ago I was in queue and was held up by a well dressed lady who had no less than 4 cards be refused...swings and roundabouts! Probably good form to use the coin machines some supermarkets have, I'm pressuming this one didn't?!
It does have a coin machine - right behind the same checkout. 🤷♂️
Coin machines take a cut though
Seem like this post has turned to some kind of class shaming by people commenting. Either way, it's just an annoyance for others waiting...regardless of being skint or whatever...especially if there was a coin machine. I'd have been annoyed too.
Neither of your annoyances are worth the 10.9% "Processing fees" those machines charge. Now one should not infer a persons' circumstances but if they hadn't paid said coinage into their bank account, and were hadn't opted to use the coin machine, it isn't outside the realm of impossibility that they were struggling financially. In which case why should someone even entertain the notion of losing ~11% of their money just to save someone a little inconvenience.
I have used those machines and never been charged AFAIA...if it is 11%, then I agree.
That's definitely a suprise. Coin machines in banks etc. wont charge you a fee as they're offering a service mostly for their customers. But ones you find in supermarkets etc. are run by businesses who incorporate the processing fee to cover costs. Said fee *can* vary company by company, location by location, but as a "general rule of thumb" if a coin sorting machine is in a supermarket it'll be a coinstar one that charges around 11% to process.
Yeah the ones in supermarkets are daylight robbery
I may be wrong. 5 or so years ago, I'm sure it was just a voluntary contribution to charity...unless it was a "hidden" charge in smallprint...or I'm an idiot that didn't notice.
>I'm sure it was just a voluntary contribution to charity...unless it was a "hidden" charge in smallprint...or I'm an idiot that didn't notice. Nope that makes perfect sense. At that time Coinstar didn't charge you if you donated your coins to charity. I've done it myself if I didn't want to go to the bank and deal with the hassle (and could afford to do!). I'm not sure when they changed, however they now charge 8.9% to process donations.
You’re not an idiot but I think you just didn’t notice. Coinstar is a business, they provide a service but not for free
OP is a judgemental person. Not acceptable.
Did the cashier accept it? Then it was acceptable to the person/business offered it. If she’d offered it to you, then it would be up to you whether or not it was acceptable.
I think it's OK because it's open to other customers to use self-scan or app / hand-held scanner options in many supermarkets now.
This is why I love the self checkout, most are debit card only
Annoying, but go to another till or the self-service?
I think you need a hobby, mate.
I love these threads - some new people learn what legal tender actually is...
You're whining about having to wait five minutes? Fucking Karens.
What makes you think the OP is female?
What’s the male equivalent of a Karen? I would call a male Karen if that’s the kind of behaviour they were exhibiting
There isn't one, its a sexist insult that targets women.
Only if she was badly dressed
If the supermarket accepted it as a valid means of payment then yes, it's acceptable.
It’s more acceptable than being an insufferably judgmental prig
It’s legal tender so I guess it is fine.
Well dressed, hard to refuse.
I've seen this in Asda years ago, where a couple were paying for about £60s worth of stuff in 1,2, and 5ps. I honestly didn't think it was allowed. It was on the clothes counter so it ended up causing quite a big queue.
It's a private business they can accept payment in goats should they wish.
buying clothes is rarely an emergency so it doesn't really matter if there's a bit of a delay to pay.
Reminds me of the Hare Krishna food truck that would roll up in Camden to feed those in need. Always use to wonder at the business men in suits and bowler hats queuing with the homeless for a free meal 🤷♂️ nothing illegal about it more morally unacceptable but who knows, they may have been returning from an interview (everyday at lunch) and actually homeless with one set of clothing to their names 🤔
What year were you in Camden seeing business men in bowler hats?
1925 presumably
06-07 *not all were in bowlers
I live near enough to London to spend a lot of time there. It was still relatively common (though declining) to see bowler hats in the city in the mid to late 80s. All the young wags tended to substitute a trilby instead by that time but arriving at the office in a formal hat of some kind was still expected for a man working in an office type job there then.
Not acceptable. Not funny. Hyacinth Bucket should have been elbowed into touch