FICO UK Credit Card Market Report: August 2025
The August 2025 credit card data analysis from global analytics software leader FICO shows that the average active balance continues to trend up, accelerating to its highest level yet, while the percentage of total balance paid has dropped. These factors, combined with rising overlimit usage, suggest financial stress is intensifying for cardholders.
Highlights
- Spending rose in August to an average of £815, up 1.5% month-on-month but 2.4% lower year-on-year
- Average active balances increased by 1.1% month-on-month to £1,915 and remain 4.9% higher year-on-year
- The percentage of total balance paid dropped to 34.3%; a 1.6% decrease month-on-month and 6.2% lower than the same month last year
- The average balance of accounts with one missed payment is now 8.7% higher than August 2024 at £2,400
- Accounts over their credit limit increased by 5.8% month-on-month and 2.2% year-on-year
- Withdrawal of cash on credit cards increased by 1% month-on-month
FICO Comment:
After the usual seasonal dip seen in July, August saw a modest recovery in spending. Average active balances have trended significantly upward, with August seeing the strongest monthly increase since May. This continues the upward trend and remains 4.9% higher than the same time last year. One of the primary drivers behind rising balances is the accelerating downward trend in the percentage of total balance paid. August 2025 saw this drop to 34.3%.
Also reflecting the financial juggling act many households are currently playing, the pattern of missed payments continued to be erratic. The percentage of customers missing one payment decreased by 3.5% month-on-month, continuing the overall downward trend with a significant 16% decrease year on-year despite monthly volatility. However, the average balance for these accounts increased by 0.5% month-on-month to £2,400, now 8.7% higher than this time last year, showing the steepest year-on-year growth among missed payment categories.
There was a 4.2% monthly increase in the percentage of customers missing two payments, although this is 2.8% lower than the previous year, showing more stability than single-payment misses. The average balance for accounts with two missed payments rose in August 2025 by 0.6% on July to £2,895, remaining 6.0% higher than August 2024 and continuing the upward trend.
Customers missing three payments dropped by 1% month-on-month and is 4.1% lower than the previous year. For these accounts, the average balance fell 1.1% month-on-month to £3,265 but remains 7.4% higher than last year, indicating persistently elevated balances for the most delinquent customers.
Another sign of financial distress is the 5.8% increase since July in overlimit accounts, although average credit limits remained virtually unchanged at £5,880.
The combination of accelerating balance growth, declining payment rates and increasing overlimit usage suggests heightened financial stress among cardholders. Risk teams should intensify monitoring of payment-to-balance ratios and consider implementing proactive intervention strategies for customers showing early warning signs. Given that the average balance of three missed payments is growing faster than overall balance, particular attention should be paid to credit limit management and early-stage collection strategies to prevent further balance escalation.
These card performance figures are part of the data shared with subscribers of the FICO® Benchmark Reporting Service. The data sample comes from client reports generated by the FICO® TRIAD® Customer Manager solution in use by some 80% of UK card issuers. For more information on these trends, contact FICO.