Like any financial institution, credit unions have the financial resources. Until the 70's there was a proliferation of the U.S. credit unions due to the increase of their number and the number of shareholders, although it must be acknowledged that there was also and a qualitative growth. Credit unions appeared in England in the 19th century. In 1844 a group of workers from Rochdale established the first cooperative. In some cases, the initiators of credit unions can be trade unions, associations such as social support centers and others. The supreme body of the World Council of Credit Unions is the Assembly, which elects the president and the board of directors of WOCCU. In the UK, credit unions are a source of financing of people groups. This tool is not widely used.