Further details about Credit Union statistics data

Overview

The purpose of the returns is to provide prudential regulatory data to the PRA. As such, it represents an example of an administrative data source used for statistical purposes, as outlined in the Bank's Statistical Code of Practice. The quarterly and annual credit union statistics provide the following information, broken down by countries within the UK:

• Number of annual returns received;
• Number of credit union members;
• Breakdowns of assets and liabilities;
• Breakdowns of income and expenditure;
• Profit and loss;
• Number and value of loans; and
• Number and value of net liabilities in arrears.

Availability

Quarterly and annual statistics relating to credit unions in Great Britain were previously published on the Financial Services Authority website. In July 2013, the Bank of England published a time series of annual credit union statistics from 2004 to 2012 for England, Scotland and Wales. A time series of quarterly data was also included. Quarterly and annual credit union data for Northern Ireland were included for the first time in 2012, as this was the first year that the PRA collected these data. The quarterly statistics will be published by the Bank of England four months after each quarter end; annual data will be made available in July each year.

Sources

These data are sourced from the Quarterly Credit Union Return (CQ) and the Annual Credit Union Return (CY). 

These returns were introduced on 3 January 2017, replacing legacy forms and aligning the returns with the new prudential Rulebook introduced in 2016. In addition, mandatory electronic reporting was introduced for all credit unions. These changes have led to an increase in the number of firms failing to submit data by the publication deadline. However, these firms account for less than 1% of the Total Assets of the sector. 

Credit unions are required to submit their quarterly return to the PRA within one month of their quarter end. The majority of credit unions follow calendar quarters, although there are some exceptions. Data from these exceptional firms are aggregated into the figures for the next calendar quarter end. 

Submission of the annual return is required within six months of the credit union’s financial year end, which for the majority of credit unions is 30 September. A small number of credit unions have a different financial year end, such as 31 December. Therefore, it is important to note that the annual statistics, published in July each year, contain data from all firms with a 30 September financial year end, together with those with a year end in the same calendar year and which have already submitted valid data. Further updates of the publication will be made to ensure data from the entire population is present in the annual statistics. 

All data are subject to revision if and when new information becomes available. For more information on revisions practices see further details about revisions. Credit union statistics are not seasonally adjusted. 

These changes have not had any bearing on the aggregated data published in the tables on the Bank of England website.

Format changes

From October 2014, published credit union quarterly statistics display income statement items on an adjusted quarter-by-quarter basis. In previous publications income statement items were displayed in a year-to-date format, as reported on the credit union returns. 

Further information