Credit cards for applicants with bad credit

It used to be tough to get approved for a credit card with a poor credit history, but these days competing financial institutions are increasingly looking to different sectors of the market where they can offer specialist credit cards. The reality is that these cards have higher interest rates, lower credit limits and not much in the way of extra benefits. However, they’re easier to get approved for and are designed to help you improve your credit rating over time – therefore increasing your chances of approval for other credit products in the future. Here are some popular options for applicants with bad credit plus tips for getting your credit history back into shape.

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Name	Product	Annual/monthly fees	Initial credit limits	Minimum income	Rep. APR	Incentive	Link
TSB Classic Credit Card Mastercard		£0	Min. limit £500, max. limit not specified.	Not specified	26.9%	Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 26.95% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 26.9% APR (variable).	Read review	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Tesco Bank Foundation Card		£0	Min. limit £100, max. limit not specified.	£5000	27.5%	Collect 1 Tesco Clubcard point per £4 spent (£4 minimum) in Tesco and 1 Clubcard point per £8 spent (£8 minimum) outside Tesco in each purchase transaction.  Must have available credit to collect Clubcard points. Clubcard points are turned into Clubcard vouchers every 3 months or sooner using Faster Vouchers. Clubcard vouchers can be used in Tesco or with Clubcard Reward Partners to get even more value on dining out, hotel stays and travel. Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 27.542% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 27.5% APR (variable).	Read review	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Vanquis Bank Chrome Credit Card		£0	Min. limit £250, max. limit £1,500.	Not specified	29.5%	Representative example: When you spend £250 at a purchase rate of 29.5% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 29.5% APR (variable).	Read review	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Vanquis Bank Aquis Visa		£0	Min. limit £250, max. limit £1,000.	Not specified	29.8%	You could get a credit limit increase after your 5th statement and further increases every 5 months, up to £4,000. Representative example: When you spend £1,000 at a purchase rate of 29.84% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 29.8% APR (variable).	Read review	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Amazon Classic Mastercard		£0	Min. limit £500, max. limit not specified.	Not specified	29.9%	Be upgraded to the Amazon Platinum Mastercard if you make at least one transaction a month, make repayments on time and stay within credit limit in the first 12 months.. Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 29.95% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 29.9% APR (variable).	Read review	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
HSBC Classic Credit Card Visa		£0	Min. limit £250, max. limit £1,000.	£6800	29.9%	Discounts and exclusive offers for dining experiences, leisure activities and shopping available through HSBC Home and Away. Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 29.9% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 29.9% APR (variable).	Read review	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Barclaycard Forward Credit Card		£0	Min. limit £50, max. limit £1,200.	£3000	33.9%	Buy tickets for up to 3500 selected live events through Barclaycard entertainment and get 5% off tickets per year and exclusive pre-sale tickets on selected festivals with 10% off ticket prices. Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 33.9% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 33.9% APR (variable).	Read review	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
118 118 Money Guaranteed Rate Card		£0	Min. limit £500, max. limit not specified.	£8400	34%	Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 34% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 34% APR (variable).	Read review	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Aqua Advance credit card		£0	Min. limit £250, max. limit £1,200.	Not specified	34.9%	Reduce your rate over three years if you stay within your credit limit and pay on time. No extra fees on what you spend abroad. Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 34.95% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 34.9% APR (variable).	Read review	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Post Office Money® Classic Credit Card Mastercard		£0	Min. limit £200, max. limit £8,000.	Not specified	34.9%	Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 34.94% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 34.9% APR (variable).	Read review	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Marbles Classic Credit Card		£0	Min. limit £250, max. limit £1,200.	Not specified	34.9%	You could get a credit limit increase after three months. Choose a monthly repayment date that suits you and change it up to twice a year. Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 34.95% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 34.9% APR (variable).	Read review	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Capital One Classic Credit Card		£0	Min. limit £200, max. limit £1,500.	Not specified	34.9%	Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 34.94% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 34.9% APR (variable).	Read review	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Fluid Credit Card		£0	Min. limit £250, max. limit not specified.	Not specified	34.9%	Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 34.94% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 34.9% APR (variable).	Read review	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Capital One Luma Purchase Mastercard		£0	Min. limit £200, max. limit £1,500.	Not specified	35.9%	Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 35.94% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 35.9% APR (variable).	Read review	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Capital One Luma Mastercard		£0	Min. limit £200, max. limit £1,500.	Not specified	35.9%	Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 35.94% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 35.9% APR (variable).	Read review	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Aqua Classic Credit Card		£0	Min. limit £250, max. limit £1,200.	Not specified	37.9%	Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 37.95% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 37.9% APR (variable).	Read review	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Vanquis Bank Visa		£0	Min. limit £150, max. limit £1,500.	Not specified	39.9%	Representative example: When you spend £1,000 at a purchase rate of 39.94% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 39.9% APR (variable).	Read review	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
thinkmoney credit card		£0	Min. limit £200, max. limit £1,500.	Not specified	39.9%	Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 39.94% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 39.9% APR (variable).	Read review	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
thimbl. credit card		£0	Min. limit £150, max. limit £1,000.	Not specified	39.9%	Representative example: When you spend £1,000 at a purchase rate of 39.94% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 39.9% APR (variable).	Read review	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
opus card		£0	Min. limit £250, max. limit not specified.	Not specified	39.9%	Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 39.95% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 39.9% APR (variable).	Read review	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Ocean Credit Card		£0	Min. limit £200, max. limit £1,500.	Not specified	39.9%	Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 39.94% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 39.9% APR (variable).	Read review	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Cashplus Credit Card		£0	Min. limit £100, max. limit £3,000.	Not specified	49.9%	Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 39.94% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 39.9% APR (variable).	Read review	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Origin Credit Card		£0	Min. limit £150, max. limit £1,500.	Not specified	59.9%	Representative example: When you spend £250 at a purchase rate of 59.94% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 59.9% APR (variable).	Read review	Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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What is my credit score?

Your credit score is based on metrics in your credit history and is a major factor in determining your success when it comes to applying for credit. There is no single standardised way of calculating credit scores, with credit rating bodies, banks and credit card companies using their own rating systems in assessing client credit ratings.

• Experian: 0–999
• Equifax: 0–1,000
• TransUnion (formerly Callcredit): 0–710

Depending on your score, you’re said to have excellent, very good, good, fair, poor or very poor credit:

What financial products can I get with bad credit?

You have a number of options if you have bad credit, most of which don’t involve credit cards at all.

• Specialist credit cards for bad credit. A number of banks offer credit card options for people with a poor credit history. These cards typically have low credit limits, higher interest rates and few extra benefits but do allow individuals to improve their credit rating over time. It’s not recommended that you apply for one of these cards if your objective is to use it to tackle existing debt, as this can simply lead to greater debt. Work on clearing existing debts before applying for a card like this. Compare now.
• Debit cards. A good way to avoid debt is to steer away from credit and only spend what you have. Although using a debit card is unlikely to affect your credit rating, a current account with regular direct debits is a good sign to a potential lender.
• Prepaid cards. Prepaid cards are similar to debit cards in the sense that you’re spending only what you have. Unlike a debit or credit card though, you load funds on to the card before using it. These cards also don’t affect your credit rating and don’t charge interest, so they can be a good way to build up your budgeting skills. Most prepaid cards are either Visa or Mastercard, so you should be able to use them in the same places that you’d use your credit or debit card. Compare prepaid cards
• Bad credit personal loans. Personal loans are traditionally used when borrowing larger amounts of money for a significant purchase or to consolidate debt. There are some bad credit personal loans on the market that cater especially to people with poor credit ratings. These loans usually come with a fixed interest rate and if you repay responsibly, can be used to rebuild your creditworthiness.
• Guarantor loans. With a guarantor loan a second person agrees to step in and make repayments if you fail to do so. Lenders will be able to consider the second individual’s credit rating as well as your own.
• Payday loans. Payday or short term loans are a very expensive method of borrowing and should only be considered as a last resort to cover an unexpected cash shortfall. They’re not suitable for those in financial difficulties, they may not solve your money problems and they’re not a good idea for borrowing over longer periods or for sustained borrowing. Short term lenders are often willing to consider lending to those with less-than-perfect credit ratings and will normally lend a small amount for a short time initially, then may gradually increase the loan amounts and loan terms they offer. You should compare lenders before you apply.

Ultimately, a bad credit rating can significantly impact your lifestyle, making it difficult to get a car, a mortgage or other forms of credit. If you find yourself in such a position, don’t despair. Making the right choices from now on can lead to financial freedom down the road.

Make sure you compare credit cards for people with poor credit history before you make an application. You shouldn’t apply for every card and loan under the sun, because multiple applications for credit in a short space of time can ring alarm bells with potential lenders. You can also take steps to improve your credit rating and manage your finances so that you can live free of debt. You may opt to begin by requesting a copy of your credit report and identifying the negative listings on your file.

List of documents needed for credit card application

Bottom line

Don’t be down if you have a poor credit history as you have options to help you get you back up and running again.

There are several specialist financial products available to enable you to take control and build your credit score. Use our table above to compare your options. With careful use, this can help you unlock better financial deals in the future.