FX.co ★ UK Consumer Credit Falls More than Anticipated

In December 2025, net borrowing of consumer credit by individuals in the UK decreased to £1.52 billion, marking the lowest level in three months. This decline came after an upward revision of £2.14 billion in November and fell below market expectations of £1.7 billion. Specifically, credit card net borrowing saw a decrease to £0.7 billion from £1.0 billion the month before. Similarly, net borrowing in other consumer credit sectors, such as car dealership finance and personal loans, dropped to £0.8 billion from £1.2 billion in the preceding month. Despite these fluctuations, the annual growth rate for total consumer credit held steady at 8.2% in December. Meanwhile, the annual growth rate for credit card borrowing increased to 12.4% from 12.1%, reaching the highest point since January 2024 when it was 12.5%. The annual growth rate for other consumer credit forms remained consistent at 6.4%, which is the highest since September 2024’s rate of 6.6%.