More evidence that consumers are turning off the credit tap has emerged from the latest Veda consumer credit demand index.Credit card applications in the December quarter were down 9.9 per cent on applications in the same period a year earlier. Veda said this was the biggest drop in six years.Veda's head of consumer risk, Angus Luffman, said in a statement that the drop could be due to several factors. Consumers are more circumspect in their use of credit and there is a rise in the use of debit cards.New responsible lending laws are another possible cause - they have made the credit application process more involved, and made it harder for card issuers to offer unsolicited credit limit increases.Total credit card applications in 2011 were down 3.5 per cent on 2010 figures.