Credit unions in the United Kingdom
Credit unions in the United Kingdom were first established in the 1960s. Credit unions are member-owned financial cooperatives operated for the purpose of promoting thrift, providing credit and other financial services to their members.
Credit unions in the
History
Institutions known as mutual societies grew out of the
The first recorded credit union in the
The
In 1980, the first credit union was registered in Wales. The St Therese's Credit Union served the Catholic community living on a housing estate in Port Talbot. In the 1990s membership of credit unions in Wales grew as credit unions helped to deliver anti-poverty and financial inclusion policies in cooperation with local authorities and national charities. By 1997, 31 credit unions were registered in Wales. Following mergers between smaller credit unions the number of registered credit unions in Wales reduced to 26 by 2010. Between them the 26 credit unions achieve all-Wales coverage.[11] According to Bank of England figures, the number of credit union members in Britain nearly doubled from 562,000 in 2004 to almost 1.04 million in 2012, while total assets increased from £432m to £956m. However, the number of active credit unions in Britain fell from 565 in 2004 to 390 in 2012. Some merged with rivals but others ceased trading, at least fourteen of them between January 2012 and July 2013.[12]
Regulation and policy
Credit unions in the United Kingdom have been regulated by the Prudential Regulation Authority for prudential purposes and the Financial Conduct Authority for conduct purposes since 1 April 2013, previously regulated by the Financial Services Authority from July 2002.[13] Before the Credit Unions Act 1979 was passed, there was no special legal structure for credit unions in the UK. Some of the early credit unions chose to register under the Companies Act and some under the Industrial and Provident Societies Act 1965. They are classified in two types: type 1 are the smaller credit unions while type 2 are larger.[vague] From November 2006, many type 2 credit unions began offering their members debit card accounts so that they could withdraw cash from any Link ATM.[citation needed]
In June 2008, the Treasury announced plans to encourage the growth of credit unions by broadening the
Regulations for credit unions place a maximum interest rate on loans of 3% per month.[16]
Security of savings
Since October 2008 UK credit unions are covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), which protects savings in banks and similar institutions up to £85,000 (as of February 2017[update]), covering about 98% of people; most members get their money back within a week.[17]
Credit unions offer savers considerably more protection than commercial "savings clubs", as was demonstrated by the 2006 collapse of the Christmas hamper club
Recent changes in credit unions
In Britain the number of active credit unions fell from 565 in 2004 to 390 in 2012; some merged, but others became insolvent. Six ceased trading in 2012, and at least eight had ceased in 2013 by the end of July.[12] However, the number of members has increased from 1.04 million in 2012 to 2 million in 2018.[12][19]
Many credit unions are actively engaged in battling high interest
Comparison with building societies
Building society | Credit union | |
---|---|---|
Mutual society ?
|
Yes | Yes |
Not for profit | Yes | Yes |
Registration act | Building Societies Act 1986 | Credit Unions Act 1979 |
Association | Building Societies Association (BSA) | Association of British Credit Unions (ABCUL) but also the BSA and others |
Number | 42 | Around 250 |
FSCS | Yes | Yes[17] |
Staffed by | Paid staff | Often volunteers |
Require a 'common bond' | Sometimes | Always[14] |
Reward savers through | Almost always interest | Generally dividends |
Generally invest in | Mortgages | Personal loans |
Offer current accounts | Only Nationwide and Cumberland | Yes, through Vox, Engage, pre-paid cards etc. |
See also
- British co-operative movement
- Banking in the United Kingdom
- Association of British Credit Unions (a trade association in mainland Britain)
- Irish League of Credit Unions (an all-Ireland trade association)
- Credit unions in Canada
- Credit unions in the United States
References
This article needs additional citations for verification. (January 2012) |
- ^ Shay (1992)
- ^ Anonymous (1994b)
- ^ About Us, The Derry Credit Union
- ^ Tim George Bickerstaffe (September 2001), The Significance of the Common Bond In Credit Unions (PDF), The University of Leeds Department of Sociology and Social Policy, p. 7
- ^ Adele Atkinson (March 2006), Migrants and Financial Services: A review of the situation in the United Kingdom (PDF), Personal Finance Research Centre, University of Bristol, p. 8
- ^ Credit Union History, Gateshead First Credit Union, archived from the original on 23 July 2013, retrieved 21 October 2013
- ISBN 9780215037817
- ^ "Credit Unions Act 1979".
- ^ Tim George Bickerstaffe (September 2001), The Significance of the Common Bond In Credit Unions (PDF), The University of Leeds Department of Sociology and Social Policy, p. 8
- ^ Tim George Bickerstaffe (September 2001), The Significance of the Common Bond In Credit Unions (PDF), The University of Leeds Department of Sociology and Social Policy, pp. 8–9
- ^ Raising the Profile: Meeting the Challenges - AN ACTION PLAN FOR THE CREDIT UNION MOVEMENT IN WALES 2010-2013 (PDF), The Welsh Credit Union Movement, November 2010, p. 5, archived from the original (PDF) on 3 February 2016, retrieved 23 October 2013
- ^ a b c "Credit unions thriving even before Archbishop Welby's attack on Wonga". The Guardian newspaper. 29 July 2013. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
- ^ ABCUL Archived 14 April 2010 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2008-10-17.
- ^ a b "Credit union rules 'to be eased'". BBC News. 30 June 2008.
- ^ "The Legislative Reform (Industrial and Provident Societies and Credit Unions) Order 2011".
- ^ "Short-Term loans". Essex Savers Credit Union. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
By law the maximum interest rate that a credit union can charge its members for a loan is 3% per month or 42.6% APR.
- ^ a b "Is your cash safe with the struggling credit unions? One a month is now going bust with more forecast to struggle". The Guardian newspaper. 11 May 2013. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
- ^ "The story of the farepak savers | Joseph Rowntree Foundation". Archived from the original on 8 May 2015. Retrieved 2012-04-13.
- ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
- ^ "Credit Unions: Your Community's Financial Alternative".
- ^ "Vince Cable backs Church plans to 'compete' with Wonga". BBC News. 25 July 2013. Retrieved 25 July 2013.
External links
- Find Your Credit Union - search tool for credit unions in Great Britain, run by ABCUL.
- Credit Unions - search for all credit unions in the UK
- Scottish League of Credit Unions - a trade body representing credit unions in Scotland
- ACE Credit Union Services - a trade body representing many smaller credit unions in the UK
- UK Credit Unions - a trade body representing many smaller credit unions in the UK (archive copy)[dead link]
- Association of British Credit Unions Limited - the largest trade body representing credit unions in the UK
- National Association of Credit Union Workers - a staff association for all UK credit union workers regardless of trade body affiliation