Credit Cards UK | Help and advice for choosing a credit card and using it wisely.

Welcome to Credit Cards

Used correctly, a credit card can be a free, efficient way to pay for goods and services. However, mishandle a credit card and it could make your financial situation worse, tempting you to spend beyond your means and get you deeper into debt.

Which credit card is right for me?

Credit cards come in many shapes and forms. There are special offers and deals that make some more attractive than others. Here are some examples.

0% balance transfer

A 0% credit card balance transfer means you pay no interest on the amount you owed once it is transferred to a new card charging 0% from other credit cards - but only for a short period of time. This sort of card could help you clear your debts.

0% purchase

A 0% purchase credit card will not charge you interest on all new spending, for a certain period of time. It acts as an interest-free loan but only for a limited time.

Cash back

A cash back credit card will give you a certain amount of money back every time you use it to pay for something. This is great provided you are confident you can clear the balance every month. If you don't, the interest will almost certainly outweigh any cash back benefits.

Reward and loyalty

Rewards and loyalty credit cards work in a similar way to cash back cards - but they earn the spender reward points in a particular scheme, rather than cash, or vouchers which can be used to pay for discounts or other goods and services.

Applying for a credit card

Many credit cards are only available to people with good or excellent credit ratings, and if you apply for a card and are refused, your credit rating could be damaged further. You can check your credit record with a credit agency like Experian or Equifax.

Spending protection

A credit card offers you an extra layer of protection as a consumer. In a nutshell, if you use a credit card to make a purchase worth more than £100 and less than £30,000, you can claim against the card provider as well as the retailer if anything goes wrong under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act.

Pitfalls to avoid

These pitfalls make credit cards a really expensive option:

  • Don't just make the minimum monthly repayment on your card debt.
  • Avoid using your credit card to withdraw cash. You'll be charged higher interest than for purchases as well as a fee each time.
  • Never default on credit card repayments or pay late or you'll be hit with penalty charges and special offers (like 0% deals) will be taken away.

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Product Name Balance Transfer Purchases Rewards Representative APR (Variable)
  • HSBC
  • Credit Card
  • 0.00%
  • 23 months
  • 3.30% fee
  • 0.00%
  • 3 months
  • You will receive up to an 8% discount on holidays booked through the HSBC Travel Service. Refer to provider for full details.
  • 17.90%
  • APR
Representative example: If you spend £1200.00 at a purchase interest rate (variable) of 17.90% your representative APR (variable) will be 17.90%
  • Barclaycard
  • Platinum Credit Card with Extended Balance Transfer
  • 0.00%
  • 22 months
  • 2.90% fee
  • 0.00%
  • 3 months
  • You will have access to Barclaycard Unwind which gives you exclusive access to intimate gigs, exclusive content and music news, exclusive tickets and Unwind at Wembley Arena where you can enjoy advanced ticketing for shows and even be a VIP guest in the Wembley Unwind lounge.
  • 17.90%
  • APR
Representative example: If you spend £1200.00 at a purchase interest rate (variable) of 17.90% your representative APR (variable) will be 17.90%
  • Halifax
  • Balance Transfer Credit Card
  • 0.00%
  • 22 months
  • 3.50% fee
  • 0.00%
  • 3 months
  • You will receive Halifax MasterCard offers including deals and discounts on travel, entertainment and shopping.
  • 17.90%
  • APR
Representative example: If you spend £1200.00 at a purchase interest rate (variable) of 17.95% your representative APR (variable) will be 17.90%
  • Barclaycard
  • Platinum Credit Card with Balance Transfer
  • 0.00%
  • 21 months
  • 2.60% fee
  • 0.00%
  • 3 months
  • You will have access to Barclaycard Unwind which gives you exclusive access to intimate gigs, exclusive content and music news, exclusive tickets and Unwind at Wembley Arena where you can enjoy advanced ticketing for shows and even be a VIP guest in the Wembley Unwind lounge.
  • 17.90%
  • APR
Representative example: If you spend £1200.00 at a purchase interest rate (variable) of 17.90% your representative APR (variable) will be 17.90%
  • NatWest
  • Platinum
  • 0.00%
  • 20 months
  • 2.90% fee
  • 0.00%
  • 6 months
  • NatWest Platinum card holders receive hundreds of retail offers through MasterCard as well as holiday discounts through Thomas Cook. Wine club is also available.
  • 17.90%
  • APR
Representative example: If you spend £1200.00 at a purchase interest rate (variable) of 17.95% your representative APR (variable) will be 17.90%
  • Royal Bank of Scotland
  • Platinum
  • 0.00%
  • 20 months
  • 2.90% fee
  • 0.00%
  • 6 months
  • RBS Platinum card holders receive hundreds of retail offers through MasterCard as well as holiday discounts through Thomas Cook. Wine club is also available.
  • 17.90%
  • APR
Representative example: If you spend £1200.00 at a purchase interest rate (variable) of 17.95% your representative APR (variable) will be 17.90%
  • Virgin
  • Credit Card
  • 0.00%
  • 20 months
  • 2.99% fee
  • 0.00%
  • 3 months
  • Discounts on Virgin products - 30% off balloon flights plus free champagne & chocolates, up to 20% off experiences, 5% off holidays plus no credit card fee (usually 2.5%), 10% off at Virgin Wines and VIE at home and 1 month free for new members at Virgin Active.
  • 16.80%
  • APR
Representative example: If you spend £1200.00 at a purchase interest rate (variable) of 16.80% your representative APR (variable) will be 16.80%
  • Halifax
  • 20 Month Balance Transfer Credit Card
  • 0.00%
  • 20 months
  • 3.00% fee
  • 0.00%
  • 3 months
  • There are no rewards with this card.
  • 16.90%
  • APR
Representative example: If you spend £1200.00 at a purchase interest rate (variable) of 16.94% your representative APR (variable) will be 16.90%
  • Bank of Scotland
  • Plus
  • 0.00%
  • 18 months
  • 3.00% fee
  • 0.00%
  • 3 months
  • Bank of Scotland card holders receive special offers including discounts on top UK attractions as well as on hotels, travel, shopping and up to 50% off dining.
  • 16.90%
  • APR
Representative example: If you spend £1200.00 at a purchase interest rate (variable) of 16.94% your representative APR (variable) will be 16.90%
  • Nationwide Building Society
  • Select Card
  • 0.00%
  • 17 months
  • 2.95% fee
  • 0.00%
  • 18 months
  • You will receive 0.5% unlimited cashback on all sterling purchases.
  • 12.90%
  • APR
Representative example: If you spend £1200.00 at a purchase interest rate (variable) of 12.90% your representative APR (variable) will be 12.90%
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