Borrowing rate for the credit union is a source of income to cover the administrative costs. All excess funds are returned to members in the form of dividends on savings. Today in the UK there are about 700 credit unions with assets exceeding 200 million pounds. First Credit Union was savings unprofitable institution, or rather credit cooperative, providing services to its members. Typically new members of the credit union become citizens having suretyship or recommendations from their friends - members of the credit union. Over 30% of the assets of credit unions are investments in government securities, certificates of deposit of banks and savings loan associations, as well as in the parent credit unions, and other risk-free investments. In some cases, the initiators of credit unions can be trade unions, associations such as social support centers and others. Credit unions, like today's credit unions, emerged in the 19th century in Germany as a result of crop failure and famine. Credit unions are financial institutions, financial cooperatives of citizens, and in this capacity they are above all associations of people, not unification of capitals, which is typical, for example, for public companies.