Elsewhere a 'deferred debit card' would be called a 'charge card' and were in widespread use before credit cards became popular.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charge_card

It seems as though credit cards (via the Barclaycard) became established in the UK before charge cards got a foothold:

http://www.theukcardsassociation.org.uk/history_of_cards/ind...