UK debt advice clients: credit and store card debts
UK debt advice clients: credit and store card debts stood at 5,536 people in Aug 2026. It is one of the indicators in the Debt advice table (Value · Monthly), with a complete series running from Jan 2019 to Aug 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Debt advice table
| Indicator | 08-2026 | 07-2026 | 06-2026 | 05-2026 | 04-2026 | 03-2026 | 02-2026 | 01-2026 | 12-2025 | 11-2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debt advice by type of debt | |||||||||||
| Credit, store and charge card debts | 5,536 | 6,165 | 5,846 | 5,277 | 5,588 | 6,025 | 5,414 | 5,454 | 4,290 | 5,022 | |
| Mortgage and secured loan arrears | 972 | 1,074 | 1,041 | 917 | 982 | 1,026 | 910 | 984 | 742 | 881 |
Understanding UK debt advice clients: credit and store card debts
Client management databases track the monthly volume of all individuals presenting with active revolving credit liabilities, store cards, and unsecured charge card balances. The count isolates revolving consumer credit defaults from fixed-term loans or priority domestic overheads, highlighting how retail finance products contribute to household financial strain. It aggregates individuals based on their primary presenting credit card obligations rather than secondary borrowing types.
Evaluating these figures demands caution regarding promotional credit periods and holiday shopping seasons that temporarily alter borrowing behaviour. Month-on-month comparisons can mislead due to recurring payment due dates and festive spending cycles, making annual change a more robust gauge of financial stress. Analysts should note that changes in lender underwriting criteria can shift client volumes independently of wider economic conditions.
Frequently asked questions
- Which financial products are grouped under store and charge cards?
- The series includes revolving credit accounts issued by high-street lenders, department store retail cards, and non-revolving charge cards.
- Are overdrafts included in credit card debt counts?
- No, overdraft facilities are classified under separate banking debt categories within the wider advisory dataset.
- How do seasonal spending patterns affect this monthly series?
- Festive retail periods and post-holiday billing cycles regularly generate predictable surges in credit card advisory intake.