Consumer finance up 11% in January

10 March 2016

New figures released today by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) show growth of 11% in consumer finance new business in January, compared with the same month last year.

Credit card and personal loan new business together grew by 9% compared with January 2015, while retail store and online credit increased by 1%. The second charge mortgage market reported new business up 36% by value and 17% by volume over the same period.

Commenting on the figures, Geraldine Kilkelly, Head of Research and Chief Economist at the FLA, said:

“January saw growth across all of the main consumer finance products. Consumer confidence remains high with household spending expected to be the main driver of economic growth again this year.”

Table 1: New consumer credit lending

 

Jan 2016

% change on prev. year

3 months to Jan 2016

% change on prev. year

12 months to Jan 2016

% change on prev. year

Total FLA consumer finance (£m)

6,436

+11

20,518

+12

81,535

+8

 

           

Data extracts:

           

Retail store and online credit (£m)

485

+1

1,943

+3

6,551

+3

Credit cards & personal loans (£m)

3,528

+9

11,282

+9

41,660

+5

Second charge mortgages (£m)

75

+36

229

+37

864

+35

Car finance (£m)

2,088

+17

6,262

+20

28,631

+15

Note to editors:

  1. FLA members in the consumer finance sector include banks, credit card providers, store card providers, second-charge mortgage lenders, motor finance providers, personal loan and instalment credit providers.
  1. In 2015, FLA members provided £110 billion of new finance to UK businesses and households. £81 billion of this was in the form of consumer credit representing almost a third of total new consumer credit written in the UK in 2015.

Become a member

What are the benefits of becoming an FLA Member?