UK consumer credit net borrowing rose to 2.5 billion pounds in August, marking the highest level since records began in 1993.

⑴ Net consumer credit borrowing by individuals in the UK rose from a revised £2.1 billion in July 2026 to a record £2.5 billion in August 2026, far exceeding the market expectation of £1.9 billion. ⑵ This is the highest level since data collection began in April 1993, surpassing the previous six-month average of £1.9 billion. ⑶ Of this, net credit card borrowing in August was £1.2 billion, compared to £0.9 billion in July. Other forms of consumer credit, such as car dealer financing and personal loans, saw net borrowing rise from £1.2 billion in the same period to £1.3 billion. ⑷ The annual growth rate of all consumer credit in August edged up to 9.6% from 9.3% in July. Over the same period, the annual growth rate of credit card borrowing increased from 12.6% in July to 13.3%, while the annual growth rate of other forms of consumer credit edged up from 7.7% in July to 7.9%.