Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO) has published its UK Credit Card Market Report for November 2025, revealing that pre-Christmas credit card spending remained below 2024 levels, despite a typical seasonal increase. The analysis highlights rising average card balances, which increased by 5% year-on-year to £1,915, alongside a drop in payment rates to 33.4%, the lowest since 2021. The percentage of payments to balance fell both month-on-month and year-on-year, and overlimit usage increased, pointing to greater financial stress among UK consumers. The share of accounts with missed payments also rose in the more severe delinquency categories, indicating that when payments are missed, they involve higher debt loads than in previous years. FICO notes that these trends present heightened risks for lenders and will likely require more intensive monitoring and collection strategies as the market anticipates further challenges in December before a typical recovery in January.

Disclaimer: This news brief was created by Public Technologies (PUBT) using generative artificial intelligence. While PUBT strives to provide accurate and timely information, this AI-generated content is for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as financial, investment, or legal advice. Fair Isaac Corporation published the original content used to generate this news brief via Business Wire (Ref. ID: 20260130508151) on January 30, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained therein.