Credit Card Usage Statistics in United Kingdom (2026)
According to World Bank Global Findex data, 50.6% of adults in the United Kingdom used a credit card in 2021. Down from 59.1% in 2017 to 50.6% in 2021 (−8.5 percentage points). United Kingdom ranks #5 of 46 economies in Europe & Central Asia on this measure, and #12 of 142 globally.
Key Statistics
- Latest value (2021)
- 50.6% (2021)
- Credit Card Usage in the United Kingdom as of 2021, the most recent observation in World Bank Global Findex data.
- Change since 2017
- −8.5 pp (2021)
- Down from 59.1% in 2017 to 50.6% in 2021 (−8.5 percentage points).
- Earliest value in this dataset (2014)
- 55.3% (2014)
- Earliest observation in this dataset, which covers 1990 onward (the source series may begin earlier). Down from 55.3% in 2014 to 50.6% in 2021.
- Peak value (2017)
- 59.1% (2017)
- Highest value in the available series; the 2021 value is 50.6%.
- Rank in Europe & Central Asia
- #5 of 46 (2021)
- The United Kingdom ranks 5 of 46 countries in Europe & Central Asia with data, based on each country's latest value.
- Global rank
- #12 of 142 (2021)
- The United Kingdom ranks 12 of 142 countries with data globally.
- Europe & Central Asia average
- 26.3% (2021)
- The United Kingdom (50.6%) is above the average of 26.3% across the 46 countries in Europe & Central Asia with data.
- Owns a credit card (% age 15+) (2021)
- 62.1% (2021)
- Related indicator from World Bank Global Findex.
- Internet use in the United Kingdom (2024)
- 95.5% (2024)
- 95.5% of the population in the United Kingdom used the internet in 2024 (World Bank); shown for context only.
- Population (2024)
- 69.2 million (2024)
- The United Kingdom had a population of 69.2 million in 2024 (World Bank); shown for scale only.
Trend, 2014–2021
| Year | % of adults (age 15+) | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 50.6% | −8.5 pp |
| 2017 | 59.1% | +3.9 pp |
| 2014 | 55.3% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What share of adults in the United Kingdom used a credit card?
50.6% of adults in the United Kingdom used a credit card in 2021, according to World Bank Global Findex data.
How does the United Kingdom compare with other countries in Europe & Central Asia?
The United Kingdom ranks 5 of 46 countries in Europe & Central Asia with data, with 50.6% versus a regional average of 26.3% (latest values per country).
Where does the United Kingdom rank globally on credit card usage?
The United Kingdom ranks 12 of 142 countries with data globally, based on the latest World Bank Global Findex value for each country.
When did credit card usage in the United Kingdom peak?
The highest value in the available series was 59.1% in 2017; the latest (2021) value is 50.6%.
How recent is the credit card usage data for the United Kingdom?
The most recent observation is from 2021. World Bank Global Findex data is reported with a lag, so 2021 is the latest available year for the United Kingdom.
Source & methodology
Source: World Bank Global Findex, indicator
fin22g, retrieved .
Figures are shown exactly as published in the source dataset; only the change column of the trend table is computed from adjacent published values.Read more on the methodology page. All figures are estimates and projections; this is not financial advice.
Last updated .