Newham Council plan to remove all council cash offices by the end of the year, a move they estimate will save them �500,000 in total.

Currently, each payment taken over the counter costs �1.80 to process compared to 2p for a direct debit payment.

Residents can still make payments by direct debit at www.newham.gov.uk/cashless or call 0208 430 2000, online at www.newham.gov.uk, over the phone or with an AllPay caard at post offices or shops displaying the Paypoint sign.

Councillor Andrew Baikie said: “We will work with residents to provide online training to enable a smooth transition to the new payment methods.”