To check your eligibility for a credit card you must meet the following criteria:

• At least 18 years old
• Minimum annual income of £5,000
• Regular income paid into a UK bank account
• A UK resident
• At least 3 years address history

To check your eligibility for a credit card, Creditec will carry out a soft search on your credit file to match you with the most suitable lender(s) on their panel who may also carry out a soft search to assess your eligibility for the product you are looking for. These searches will only be visible to you, and they will not affect your credit rating.

If you need help or are unsure on any of this, please contact us using this online form.

A soft search is a way of finding out information about your credit history. It is used by lenders and credit brokers to assess your eligibility for the product you are looking for.
A soft search does not affect your credit score.

A good credit score will help increase your chances of being eligible for the most competitive products with the lowest interest rates (APRs). There's no “magic” score that means you will be approved but the higher your credit score the higher the chance of being accepted.

If you feel you are having difficulties managing your finances, you can access free, impartial advice from StepChange, MoneyHelper, National Debt Line (0808 808 4000), or Citizens Advice.

When a lender is offering a representative rate (also known as representative APR), it means that at least 51% of their customers received that rate or lower. After you have made a full application on the lender's website, if accepted you will be shown your personalised interest rate.

Being pre-approved does not mean that you're guaranteed to be accepted by the lender. Your application will still be subject to additional checks, including a hard credit search.

A credit limit is the maximum amount you can borrow on your credit card account. Your credit limit will depend on several factors, including your credit score and history.

Some lenders may offer you a guaranteed credit limit upfront. So, if you make a full application and take out that credit card you would receive the credit limit presented to you in the results.

A balance transfer credit card is designed to pay off outstanding balances from one or more existing credit card accounts. Such cards typically have a 0% interest period, such as 12 months. This could give you time to pay off what you owe without being charged further interest.

Balance transfer credit cards usually charge a fee with each balance transfer you make. This is typically a percentage of the amount you transfer. You should carefully read the full terms and conditions of your credit card account so you're familiar with any charges

A purchase credit card often comes with a low or no interest promotional period, which could be helpful when looking to spread the cost of a large, one-off expense.

Once your introductory period comes to an end, any outstanding balance on your account will be charged at your standard rate of interest, as will any new purchases you make.

If you have a thin credit file, a credit builder credit card could be useful. Use this card sensibly, and make at least the minimum repayment on time each month.

When used alongside other credit building methods, you could see an improvement to your credit score over time.

If you feel you are having difficulties managing your finances, you can access free, impartial advice from StepChange, MoneyHelper, National Debt Line (0808 808 4000), or Citizens Advice.

Yes, you will be able to withdraw money from an ATM using a credit card. However, you should be aware that if you make a cash withdrawal with a credit card you will be charged a fee by your credit card provider. Using a credit card to make a cash withdrawal could also have a negative effect on your credit score.