UK credit card debt by age: what the data shows
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MoneyNerd introduces enquiries to The Debt Advice Service and may receive a referral fee. For free, independent guidance and help finding a debt adviser, visit MoneyHelper.
This information and enquiry service is not a full financial assessment or a guarantee of suitability or debt write-off. Debt solutions are not suitable for everyone. Fees may apply, and your credit record and assets may be affected. Get advice on your circumstances before choosing a solution.
Compare credit-card borrowing by age using the FCA’s 2024 survey, and understand why usage percentages are different from average debt balances.
How does credit-card borrowing vary by age?
The FCA’s Financial Lives 2024 survey measures the proportion of UK adults who carried a credit-card balance from month to month. Its age breakdown is a percentage of all adults in each age group, including people without a credit card. These figures describe borrowing behaviour, not the average amount owed.
| Age | Adults revolving a credit-card balance |
|---|---|
| 18–24 | 9% |
| 25–34 | 19% |
| 35–44 | 25% |
| 45–54 | 28% |
| 55–64 | 21% |
| 65–74 | 15% |
| 75+ | 9% |
Source: FCA Financial Lives 2024: Credit & loans, slide 43, published May 2025. The survey refers to holdings at the survey date or in the previous 12 months. Across all UK adults, the figure was 19%. These are 2024 survey estimates, not live 2026 balances.
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Is this the average credit-card debt by age?
No. To report an average balance, a source must measure pounds owed and define who is included. A figure per adult, per household, per cardholder or per borrower with outstanding debt answers a different question. You cannot turn a percentage of people borrowing into an average debt amount without additional data.
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Use the enquiry form to request a call about your circumstances and available options. You decide whether to proceed.
Advertisement. MoneyNerd introduces enquiries; we do not give debt advice or recommend solutions. The Debt Advice Service, a trading style of Pacific Financial Solutions Limited, offers free debt advice with no obligation. Complete the enquiry form to share your details and request a call.
Some debt solutions have fees and may negatively affect your credit rating. MoneyNerd may receive a fee if you go ahead with a debt solution through The Debt Advice Service. For free, impartial guidance and help finding free debt advice, visit MoneyHelper.
Mean and median also differ. The mean divides the total balance by the number of people included; the median is the middle balance after putting them in order. A few very large balances can increase a mean substantially.
Why should student loans and mortgages be kept separate?
Figures for all unsecured debt may include personal loans and other credit, while wider household-debt figures may include mortgages. Student-loan treatment also varies by dataset. None should be relabelled as credit-card debt. Check the source’s definitions, country coverage, period and age bands before comparing totals.
Debt advice: Continue to the debt enquiry form
Advertisement. MoneyNerd is a commercial introducer, not a debt adviser. The Debt Advice Service, a trading style of Pacific Financial Solutions Limited, offers free debt advice with no obligation. If you request an introduction, your details are shared with them so they can contact you.
Some debt solutions have fees and may negatively affect your credit rating. MoneyNerd may receive a fee if you proceed with a debt solution through The Debt Advice Service. MoneyHelper offers free, impartial money guidance and help finding free debt advice.
How much card debt is too much for me?
An age-group average cannot tell you what you can afford. Compare the required payments, interest and fees with income left after essential living costs and priority bills. Warning signs include using new borrowing to make repayments or being unable to cover food, housing, energy or council tax.
Making only minimum repayments may keep an account within its terms but can leave debt outstanding for a long time. If you cannot afford the payments, contact the provider before missing one where possible and ask for support based on your circumstances.
Where can I get help?
A free debt adviser can review all your debts and budget. Ask the provider to explain any proposed repayment arrangement, how interest will be handled and how it will report the account to credit-reference agencies. FCA rules require regulated lenders to treat customers in or approaching arrears with forbearance; see CONC 7.3.
Use MoneyHelper’s credit-card debt guide to explore support. A balance transfer or new loan is not automatically cheaper once fees, eligibility and the rate after any promotion are considered.
