Total credit card debt in the UK grew by over *** million British pounds between November and December 2025, now reaching the highest value in the observed period. The annual growth rate of credit card debt increased in December 2025, reaching **** percent when compared to December 2024.

In the first half of 2024, the total value of debt from loans to households in the United Kingdom amounted to approximately ************ British pounds. It was in 2004, when household debt surpassed the ************ British pounds mark. Debts can be formed in a number of ways. The most common forms of debt for households include credit cards, medical debt, student loans, overdrafts, mortgages, automobile financing and personal loans.

Key information about United Kingdom Household Debt: % of GDP

• United Kingdom household debt accounted for 78.2 % of the country's Nominal GDP in Sep 2025, compared with the ratio of 78.3 % in the previous quarter.
• UK household debt to GDP ratio is updated quarterly, available from Mar 1987 to Sep 2025.
• The data reached an all-time high of 107.8 % in Mar 2010 and a record low of 55.5 % in Mar 1987.

CEIC calculates quarterly Household Debt as % of Nominal GDP from quarterly Household Debt and quarterly Nominal GDP. Office for National Statistics provides Household Debt in local currency and Nominal GDP in local currency. Household Debt includes NPISH.


Related information about United Kingdom Household Debt: % of GDP

• In the latest reports, UK Household Debt reached 3,161.4 USD bn in Sep 2025.
• Money Supply M2 in UK increased 2.5 % YoY in Jan 2026.
• UK Foreign Exchange Reserves was measured at 137.0 USD bn in Feb 2026.
• The Foreign Exchange Reserves equaled 1.6 Months of Import in Jan 2026.
• UK Domestic Credit reached 5,369.5 USD bn in Aug 2025, representing an increased of 1.9 % YoY.
• The country's Non Performing Loans Ratio stood at 1.0 % in Dec 2024, compared with the ratio of 1.0 % in the previous year.

The UK's average credit card debt per household grew by *** British pounds between December 2021 and December 2022, the first increase since 2020. Standing at ***** British pounds at December 2022, the figure contrasts with the decline in 2020 – when the debt declined from ***** British pounds to ***** British pounds. That particular drop was likely a result of Covid-19's economic impact, and consumers trying to get rid of their credit card debt. The increase in 2022 may be caused by growing interest rates and the cost of living crisis beginning to take shape.

Key information about United Kingdom Household Debt

• United Kingdom Household Debt reached 3,161.4 USD bn in Sep 2025, compared with the reported number of 3,194.3 USD bn in the previous quarter
• UK Household Debt: USD mn data is updated quarterly, available from Mar 1987 to Sep 2025
• The data reached an all-time high of 3,298.5 USD bn in Jun 2008 and a record low of 406.9 USD bn in Mar 1987

CEIC converts quarterly Household Debt into USD. Office for National Statistics provides Household Debt in local currency. The Federal Reserve Board period end market exchange rate is used for currency conversions. Household Debt includes NPISH.


Further information about United Kingdom Household Debt

• In the latest reports, United Kingdom Household Debt accounted for 78.1 % of the country's Nominal GDP in Sep 2025
• Money Supply M2 in United Kingdom increased 4,177.4 USD bn YoY in Oct 2025
• United Kingdom Foreign Exchange Reserves was measured at 134.0 USD bn in Nov 2025
• The Foreign Exchange Reserves equaled 1.5 Months of Import in Oct 2025
• United Kingdom Domestic Credit reached 5,369.5 USD bn in Aug 2025, representing an increased of 1.9 % YoY

As of late October 2024, most of the outstanding consumer lending in the United Kingdom (UK) were overdrafts, as well as loans and advances other than credit cards. Consumer credit peaked in February 2020, but dropped sharply two months later before slowly starting to recover again. The category other, which includes overdrafts and other loans and advances made up most of the outstanding credit. Meanwhile, credit cards amounted to approximately a third of the outstanding consumer loans. Nevertheless, credit cards made up most of the new monthly consumer lending in the UK. A likely reason for this discrepancy is that credit card debt tends to be paid in a shorter term than other types of credit.

United Kingdom Debt Collection Software market is projected to add over 150 million US dollars from 2026–2031, driven by digital finance platforms and compliance needs.

Daily, weekly and monthly data showing seasonally adjusted and non-seasonally adjusted UK spending using debit and credit cards. These are official statistics in development. Source: CHAPS, Bank of England.

Key information about United Kingdom Private Debt: % of Nominal GDP

• United Kingdom Private Debt accounted for 112.54 % of its Nominal GDP in Dec 2025, compared with a ratio of 112.66 % in the previous quarter
• UK Private Debt contribution to Nominal GDP ratio is updated quarterly, available from Jun 1998 to Dec 2025, with an average share of 166.86 %
• The data reached an all-time high of 201.86 % in Mar 2010 and a record low of 101.47 % in Dec 1998

CEIC calculates quarterly Private Debt as % of Nominal GDP from monthly Private Debt and quarterly Nominal GDP. Private Debt is calculated as the sum of Private Loans and Private Securities in GBP and Foreign Currency. The Bank of England provides Private Debt in local currency. Office for National Statistics provides Nominal GDP in local currency. Private Debt includes Financial Sector.

Graph and download economic data for Total Credit to Private Non-Financial Sector, Adjusted for Breaks, for United Kingdom (QGBPAM770A) from Q1 1963 to Q3 2025 about adjusted, credits, United Kingdom, nonfinancial, sector, and private.

Underlying data from the publication Credit debt and financial difficulty in Britain 2009-10. A report using data from the YouGov DebtTrack survey [URN 11/963]

United Kingdom UK: Net External Debt: Other Sectors: Short Term: Trade Credit and Advances data was reported at 0.000 USD mn in Jun 2016. This stayed constant from the previous number of 0.000 USD mn for Mar 2016. United Kingdom UK: Net External Debt: Other Sectors: Short Term: Trade Credit and Advances data is updated quarterly, averaging 0.000 USD mn from Mar 2016 (Median) to Jun 2016, with 2 observations. United Kingdom UK: Net External Debt: Other Sectors: Short Term: Trade Credit and Advances data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s UK – Table UK.World Bank: QEDS: Net External Debt.

United Kingdom UK: Gross External Debt: Other Sectors: Short Term: Trade Credit and Advances data was reported at 1.638 USD bn in Mar 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 1.635 USD bn for Dec 2017. United Kingdom UK: Gross External Debt: Other Sectors: Short Term: Trade Credit and Advances data is updated quarterly, averaging 1.635 USD bn from Mar 1999 (Median) to Mar 2018, with 77 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.658 USD bn in Dec 2008 and a record low of 1.595 USD bn in Dec 2012. United Kingdom UK: Gross External Debt: Other Sectors: Short Term: Trade Credit and Advances data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s UK – Table UK.World Bank: QEDS: Gross External Debt: by Sector and Instrument.

Underlying data from annex B for the report that uses data from the YouGov DebtTrack surveys to update trend information about credit use and the extent of consumer indebtedness in Britain. The analysis suggests a continued decrease in the proportion of households using unsecured credit, but little change in the average amount of unsecured debt among credit users. The data also indicated a decline in the incidence of financial difficulty.

The average credit card purchase value in the United Kingdom was over ***** British pounds as of November 2025. This was slightly lower than in the same month of the previous year and lower than in January 2023, when it reached an all-time high, with each credit card transaction averaging ***** British pounds. This contrasted with March 2020, when COVID-19 pandemic measures caused the average credit card value to decline sharply. However, the total credit card debt in the UK in November 2025 grew by over ***** percent year-on-year.

Graph and download economic data for Total Credit to Non-Financial Sector, Adjusted for Breaks, for United Kingdom (QGBCAM770A) from Q1 1966 to Q3 2025 about adjusted, credits, United Kingdom, nonfinancial, and sector.

Consumer Credit in the United Kingdom increased to 1812 GBP Million in January from 1652 GBP Million in December of 2025. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - United Kingdom Consumer Credit - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

UK: Net External Debt: Central Bank: Short Term: Trade Credit and Advances data was reported at 0.000 USD mn in Jun 2016. This stayed constant from the previous number of 0.000 USD mn for Mar 2016. UK: Net External Debt: Central Bank: Short Term: Trade Credit and Advances data is updated quarterly, averaging 0.000 USD mn from Mar 2016 (Median) to Jun 2016, with 2 observations. UK: Net External Debt: Central Bank: Short Term: Trade Credit and Advances data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.World Bank.QEDS: Net External Debt.

The volume of credit card lending of British pounds in the United Kingdom (UK) was 10.9 percent in September 2025,almost 1.5 percentage point more than the year before. February 2021 saw the lowest growth rate of credit card lending to individuals during the time displayed, with record negative figures of -20.8 percent.