Historically, credit unions have grown from the experience of credit cooperatives, but they took the experience of organizations of mutual aid of citizens by moving methods of social self-protection from labor and toward consumption. At the organization of the credit union it is important that people know each other and know the extent to which each of them is trustworthy. Like the credit cooperatives, credit unions form associations of a higher level, which are called corporate credit unions. Credit union services are available only to its shareholders. Today in the UK there are about 700 credit unions with assets exceeding 200 million pounds. In the credit union compensation for use of the loan (interest) is a source of compensation for savings. Consumer loan and reliable savings - these are the main goals, which mean "natural persons" having decided to unite in credit consumer cooperative. Membership in the credit union is voluntary and is open to all citizens bound by with joint work or residence, who wished to create a credit union to use its services and are willing to take on relevant commitments and responsibilities. The specifics of credit unions and, in some sense, their uniqueness lies in the fact that they work not for profit and do not appropriate profit.
Like the credit cooperatives, credit unions form associations of a higher level, which are called corporate credit unions. Credit union services are available only to its shareholders. At the organization of the credit union it is important that people know each other and know the extent to which each of them is trustworthy.