Most modern credit unions represent specialized consumer cooperatives of citizens associated by the principle of social community: place of work, place of residence, profession, or any other shared interest. 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. To reduce the risk of default on loans members of the credit union shall the joint guarantee. The value of credit unions is not limited to the role of the economic agent - they are an important element of the social structure and a factor of social stability and progress. In the UK, credit unions are a source of financing of people groups. This tool is not widely used. Credit unions, like today's credit unions, emerged in the 19th century in Germany as a result of crop failure and famine. A credit union on its own initiative order is created by citizens (individuals) to solve their financial problems that they could not solve in other financial institutions.