How low income credit cards work

Even if you have low or no income, you might still be able to get credit. Apply for a credit card for low income below.

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Chris Lilly

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Some cards make it easy to apply for a credit card when your income is low. There are even provisions for those who earn no income at all to get access to credit. But it's important to remember that your salary (or other income) is never the sole factor in your qualification for a credit card.

Compare credit cards for low income

Table: sorted by representative APR, promoted deals first
6 of 180
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Product Finder Score Minimum income Purchases Annual/monthly fees Representative APR Incentive Representative example
Finder score
9.9Excellent
£0
24.9
£0
24.9%
1 point per £1 spent with M&S and 1 point per £5 spent elsewhere. Enjoy 55 days interest free, preferential rates plus no cash advance fee when buying M&S travel money with the card.
Representative example: Representative 24.9% APR variable. Based on assumed borrowing of £1,200. Rate of interest 24.9% p.a. (variable).
Check eligibility More info
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Finder score
8.7Great
£10500
23.9
£3 per month
29.8%
0.5% cashback after £1 of monthly spend. Maximum of £10 paid per month. Paid monthly into Card Account. Spend with your Santander Mastercard debit or credit card in the UK or abroad until 31 Dec and get entries into a monthly prize draw to win a European trip for two. You must enter the promotion to take part. T&Cs apply.
Representative example: Representative 29.8% APR variable. Based on £3 monthly fee, assumed borrowing of £1,200. Rate of interest 23.9% p.a. (variable).
Check eligibility More info
Compare product selection
Finder score
9.3Excellent
£20000
30
£30 per year
36.8%
New welcome offer: No annual fee for your first year. Earn 20,000 bonus Nectar points when you spend £2,000 in your first 3 months. Earn a minimum of 3 Nectar points for virtually every £1 spent at Nectar partners, and 2 Nectar points for virtually every £1 spent elsewhere.
Representative example: Representative 36.8% APR variable. Based on £30 annual fee, assumed borrowing of £1,200. Rate of interest 30% p.a. (variable).
Check eligibility More info
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MBNA Ltd Dual 0% Transfer and Purchase image
Finder score
Not yet rated
MBNA Ltd Dual 0% Transfer and Purchase
Finder score
Not yet rated
£0
27.94
£0
27.9%
Representative example: Representative 27.9% APR variable. Based on assumed borrowing of £1,200. Rate of interest 27.94% p.a. (variable).
More info
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MBNA Ltd Dual 0% Transfer and Purchase image
Finder score
Not yet rated
MBNA Ltd Dual 0% Transfer and Purchase
Finder score
Not yet rated
£0
29.94
£0
29.9%
Representative example: Representative 29.9% APR variable. Based on assumed borrowing of £1,200. Rate of interest 29.94% p.a. (variable).
More info
Compare product selection
Lloyds Bank Long 0% Balance Transfer Card image
Finder score
Not yet rated
Lloyds Bank Long 0% Balance Transfer Card
Finder score
Not yet rated
£0
26.94
£0
26.9%
Representative example: Representative 26.9% APR variable. Based on assumed borrowing of £1,200. Rate of interest 26.94% p.a. (variable).
More info
Compare product selection
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Finder Score for credit cards

To make comparing even easier we came up with the Finder Score. Costs, perks and suitability across 120+ cards are all weighted and scaled to produce a score out of 10. The higher the score the better the card – simple.

Read the full methodology

Start comparing

What is a credit card for low income?

Low income credit cards are for people with low incomes, providing them with a line of credit they might not otherwise have access to. In the UK, income is just one of many factors that a card issuer will consider when you apply for a credit card. Credit card issuers will sometimes (but not always) explicitly state income requirements for a given card.

How does a card issuer determine if I qualify for a credit card?

Credit card issuers must only lend responsibly – that means running affordability checks and assessing each applicant’s circumstances to aim to ensure that any credit offered would be affordable, and wouldn’t have the potential to lead to serious debt problems.

In order to determine someone’s eligibility, the card issuer will weigh up several factors, like your credit score and history. As well as your regular income and outgoings, card issuers will want to look at your debt-to-income ratio – that’s your combined monthly debt payments in comparison to your monthly income.

Issuers will look at these and other factors when determining how much credit you can afford to service, and will then decide whether to offer a card, and will set your credit limit accordingly.

What should I look out for when comparing credit cards for low incomes?

  • Annual/monthly account fees. High-end rewards cards often come with an annual fee. Naturally, you should look to avoid this.
  • Interest rates. It’s possible you’ll pay a slightly higher-than-average rate if a card issuer deems you to represent higher risk. However, provided you clear your balance in full every month, most cards on the market won’t charge you interest at all – thanks to standard grace periods.
  • Promotions. Plenty of cards come with introductory 0% interest periods that apply to balances transferred from other cards or to forthcoming purchases. However, the best of the deals can be harder to get approved for.
  • Perks. The fact that you’re not Richard Branson doesn’t mean that your credit card can’t reward you. Some of the biggest supermarkets in the UK offer credit cards for low incomes that boost your loyalty points earnings, for example.
  • Eligibility. Don’t apply for a card without researching your eligibility. Most issuers offer a soft-searching “eligibility checker” that’s quick and easy and doesn’t impact your credit score.

What about secured credit cards?

Secured credit cards are a big thing in the US, but much less so in the UK. These cards involve putting down a lump sum as security when you take out the card. Capital One has offered secured cards in the UK in the past.

Full guide to secured credit cards

Bottom line

If you’re on a low income, you could still be able to access credit as your income is not the only factor that lenders look at.

Just remember to compare your options from our table above and make sure you meet a lender’s criteria before applying.

Frequently asked questions

We show offers we can track - that's not every product on the market...yet. Unless we've said otherwise, products are in no particular order. The terms "best", "top", "cheap" (and variations of these) aren't ratings, though we always explain what's great about a product when we highlight it. This is subject to our terms of use. When you make major financial decisions, consider getting independent financial advice. Always consider your own circumstances when you compare products so you get what's right for you. Most of the data in Finder's comparison tables is provided by Defaqto. In other cases, Finder has sourced data directly from providers.
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Written by

Head of publishing

Chris Lilly is Head of publishing at finder.com. He's a specialist in personal finance, from day-to-day banking to investing to borrowing, and is passionate about helping UK consumers make informed decisions about their money. In his spare time Chris likes forcing his kids to exercise more. See full bio

Chris's expertise
Chris has written 544 Finder guides across topics including:
  • Loans & credit cards
  • Building credit
  • Financial health
  • Share trading
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