UK credit demand: unsecured household lending
UK credit demand: unsecured household lending stood at -1.9 Net percentage balance in Q3 2026, according to Bank of England — Credit Conditions Survey. It is one of the indicators in the Credit Conditions Survey table (Value · Quarterly), with a complete series running from Q2 2007 to Q3 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Credit Conditions Survey table
| Indicator | Q3-2026 | Q2-2026 | Q1-2026 | Q4-2025 | Q3-2025 | Q2-2025 | Q1-2025 | Q4-2024 | Q3-2024 | Q2-2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Demand for credit, past three months | |||||||||||
| Households, unsecured lending | -1.9 | -2.3 | 0.5 | 10.4 | -1 | 17.1 | 12.1 | 6.5 | 1.5 | 19.3 | |
| Small businesses | -12.1 | -11.1 | 7.2 | 1.8 | 5.6 | 7.1 | 8.3 | 11.5 | 1.1 | -3.5 |
Understanding UK credit demand: unsecured household lending
Retail financial institutions evaluate the net percentage balance of lenders experiencing actual changes in borrower demand for unsecured credit, including credit cards and personal loans, across the United Kingdom during the preceding three months. This backward-looking indicator captures consumer willingness to take on debt without property collateral. It isolates retail borrowing appetite from mortgage market trends and commercial lending activity.
Reading this series requires focusing on quarter-on-quarter directional changes to understand shifts in consumer borrowing behaviour without seasonal distortion. The dataset consists of unrevised qualitative survey responses rather than administrative financial registers. Users should avoid comparing unsecured demand balances directly with retail sales values, as borrowing trends and retail spending do not always move in tandem.
Frequently asked questions
- What products are included when lenders assess unsecured credit demand?
- Unsecured credit demand encompasses credit cards, personal loans, and overdraft facilities requested by consumers.
- What causes unsecured demand to diverge from secured mortgage demand?
- Consumer willingness to finance retail purchases or personal expenses operates independently of residential property market cycles.
- Does this series measure the absolute amount of consumer debt in pounds?
- No, it measures the net balance of lenders reporting rising versus falling application volumes rather than total debt stocks.