Today in the UK there are about 700 credit unions with assets exceeding 200 million pounds. In recent decades, many credit unions began to resort to such form of service as Main share of credit unions assets is concentrated in loans (about 50%), while the share of consumer loans in commercial banks and finance companies active operations rarely exceeds 15%. The most common type of loans in credit unions are loans to purchase new and used cars (40%), followed by first mortgages and second mortgages (35%), about 10% are unsecured personal loans to member of unions and about 15% - are loans on credit cards and other loans. Some credit unions are closed, serving only their members. However, the more and more popularitywin cooperatives of open type. The uniqueness of credit unions is that they put together the principles and benefits of financial cooperatives, consumer cooperatives and mutual aid funds, born once by trade unions. Typically new members of the credit union become citizens having suretyship or recommendations from their friends - members of the credit union. The right to use the services of the credit union have only its members. Credit unions base their activities on savings of shareholders, their shares and savings contributions, which make up the fund of mutual financial assistance - a source of cash loans to shareholders.