* FCA recommends measures to improve market
* Wants measures to help customers find best deal (Adds further details, quote from FCA official)
LONDON, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Britain's credit card market isnot working well enough for customers in long-term debt, thecountry's financial regulator said on Tuesday, recommending anumber of measures to make the market work better.
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said last Novemberthat it would study how easy it is for customers in Europe'sbiggest credit card market to shop around, how card providersrecover costs, and the extent of unaffordable debt.
The regulator said on Tuesday it was concerned about thescale of potentially problematic debt for consumers who areclose to defaulting and said it wants to see better informationfor those shopping around.
"Our study suggests that the market is working reasonablywell for most consumers, with a range of cards on offer.However, for a significant minority who are in persistent levelsof debt, the market could potentially work better," saidChristopher Woolard, director of strategy and competition.
The regulator said around 60 percent of adults in Britainhave at least one credit card and there is an estimated 61billion pounds ($94 billion) in outstanding balances.
It said around 6.9 percent of cardholders, about two millionpeople, were in arrears or have defaulted and another twomillion people may be struggling to repay their debt.
The FCA said it wants to see measures introduced to helpconsumers find the best deal and to ensure they can search themarket without damaging their credit ratings.
It also called for measures to give consumers more controlover credit limits and to encourage them to pay off debt quickerwhen they can afford to.($1 = 0.6478 pounds) (Reporting by Matt Scuffham; Editing by Sinead Cruise)