The seizing up of wholesale markets, combined with tightened lending criteria, has created a credit supply crisis among vulnerable borrowers, many of whom rely on home credit. Commercial home credit is long-established, with large numbers of low-income customers. It has many features that are valued by its customers, but the cost is high.

This report addresses:

• The essential elements of a not-for-profit service as identified by customers and lenders. These are home collection, a single price under-pinned by cross-subsidy, flexibility with regard to payment and debt recovery for people who genuinely cannot pay.
• Development of a business model that adopts the operating experience of commercial home credit providers, covering running costs in year five. Even on a not-for-profit basis, the cost will be high if the service is to be financially sustainable.
• Identification of a stand-alone provider as the best option for delivery.