Buy now, pay later is ubiquitous at online checkouts. Photograph: Monkeybusinessimages/Getty Images/iStockphotoYoung people have fuelled its rise but the use of buy now, pay later is exploding among older people, with uptake among 55- to 64-year-olds more than doubling in a year, UK data shows. Younger people, particularly those in their 20s and 30s, remain the most frequent users – fuelled by BNPL providers targeting them via social media ads. “In this age group, the proportion of BNPL users more than doubled from 10% in 2023 to 21% in 2024,” the report said. Other surveys have noted an increase in demand among older people, with some of this attributed to those on tight budgets using BNPL to spread out payments for essentials.