Why a AAA credit rating matters to us all

To the economic masters of any nation, keeping a top-notch credit rating is essential to solving their financial problems, but now the UK might be facing a slight smudge on its record.

And it's not because of anything that has already happened, like you or I missing a few monthly credit card bill repayments, it's all about what might happen.

In global terms, Britain has a shiny AAA credit rating. The best you can get. And the international agency that has awarded that, Standard & Poor's says there is no reason why that should change any time soon.