Today in the UK there are about 700 credit unions with assets exceeding 200 million pounds. Representative organization, leading the coordination work in the field of development of both global and national credit union movement is the World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) established in 1971 (headquartered in Madison, USA). Specialization of credit unions to provide financial services to its shareholders requires a particularly strict regulation of membership and acceptable activities. Income derived from the provision of services to its members, does not become the profit of credit union and is distributed among its members in proportion to their savings. Credit unions, like today's credit unions, emerged in the 19th century in Germany as a result of crop failure and famine. Worldwide credit union movement is represented by regional confederations and national organizations within the World Council of Credit Unions.