[TheOtherHobbes]

Most UK CC T&Cs state explicitly "If you have a home, we will go after it if you default." Personal loans have similar recourse.

Neither are truly unsecured. It just takes longer than an outright repossession because it takes two or three court claims instead of just one.

The debt collection industry relies on this, and regularly forces sales of property to pay back CC and other debts.

So CCs are disastrous for people who can't pay their debts. Not only are the interest rates extortionate, but for lenders they're almost as safe as a secured loan. And because of the high rates they can be considerably more profitable.