THE growing number of people not carrying cash in Oxford is threatening those who make a living on the streets.

As contactless card payments become more popular, buskers, sellers, and the homeless have all said they are taking significantly less money because fewer people have spare change.

In one recent survey, 62 per cent of UK shoppers said they carried less cash than they used to, with the average amount carried in 2018 being £21, down from £33 in a year before.

This is now starting to affect many of those working on the streets.

Busker Jess Josie Lee has been performing on the city streets for the past five years while going to school in Oxford, and is this summer releasing her debut EP.

After spotting an opportunity to make even more profit, she bought a contactless card machine for £30.

Miss Lee, 19, said: "If coins were to die out, even though I have a card machine I would make less money because I imagine a lot of people would not entirely trust a busker's card reader."

However, many can't afford to invest in the contactless technology, as it requires a bank card and a smartphone connected to wi-fi, further eating into profits.

One busker suffering the consequences of the demise of cash is Stevie, who said: "This time last year I used to get £50 a day, now I get £20.

"It's below minimum wage."

Big Issue seller Tom added: "Less people are buying the magazine because they say they have no cash on them, but I rely on that money for a living."

In 2016, just 40 per cent of all UK payments were made with cash, and it is predicted that by 2026 cash may account for only 21 per cent of purchases.

However, Bernard Goodchild, a financial advisor for Oxfordshire Business Enterprise, said: "I don't think England will ever become a cashless society, as the public do not want to get their cards out on the street to pay, and there is always the underlying risk of fraud."

In addition, Victoria Cleland, the Bank of England's chief cashier, thinks predictions of the death of cash are premature.

Meanwhile, the buskers and homeless of Oxford will have to hope that their main source of income will continue to provide: tourists.

Jess Josie Lee said she remained positive for the future, adding: "I think buskers will continue to make plenty of money from coins for a few more years, until tourists all start using debit cards with no international fees.

"But most tourists get cash out at money exchange shops which is the main thing keeping us going.

"If our future is cashless, buskers will find a way."