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. Today in the UK there are about 700 credit unions with assets exceeding 200 million pounds. Credit unions encourage savings of citizens, setting compensation payments (interest) on savings and provide from these savings loans to their members. Share contributions are transferred to the credit union on the basis of membership for the whole stay of a shareholder as member of the credit union and are the basis of membership. The main activities of credit unions, aimed at the organization of mutual aid and social support of citizens is not intended to profit. Initially, the target groups of credit unions were farmers (Raiffeisen), and now they include both individuals (credit unions), and organizations. Credit unions, like today's credit unions, emerged in the 19th century in Germany as a result of crop failure and famine. The right to use the services of the credit union have only its members.