National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) - an independent federal agency, based in Washington (State of Columbia), established by the U.S. Congress to oversee the federal credit union system. 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. Like the credit cooperatives, credit unions form associations of a higher level, which are called corporate credit unions. 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. Credit unions appeared in England in the 19th century. In 1844 a group of workers from Rochdale established the first cooperative. To increase the number of credit unions in 1979 was adopted the corresponding law that serves as the legal basis of their activity.