Net consumer credit borrowing by individuals in the UK eased to £1.66 billion in May 2026, down from a downwardly revised £1.71 billion in April and falling short of market expectations of £1.8 billion. The May figure also came in slightly below the previous six‑month average of £1.9 billion.
Within this total, net borrowing on credit cards declined to £0.6 billion in May from £0.8 billion in April. By contrast, net borrowing through other forms of consumer credit—such as car dealership finance and personal loans—rose to £1.1 billion in May from £0.9 billion in the previous month.
