Can you get a credit card whilst receiving Benefits?

annemariep

Does anyone know if you can obtain a credit card whilst in receipt of benefits. I wanted to sign up for the Tesco card and they ask for a minimum of £5000 income pa. Does anyone know if your benefits count as income?

I had a Halifax One card for just under 10 years which I got when in employment. I hadn't used it for around 19 months and rececently got a letter from them to say because I hadn't used they were taking it away from me, even though the expiry date was 2013. No questions, no asking whether I intended using again etc. I was absolutely disgusted as I also have a current account and two saver accounts with them. When I rang I was told that the decision had been made and there was no going back on it. I could apply for their new charity card if I wanted but that was all I could do. As I am currently unemployed I presume they wouldn't give me one anyway.

If anyone can make suggestions would be grateful.

Many thanks :mad:

PARIS_5000

Tesco card it quite hard to get and if you are unemployed it is highly unlikely that they will give you a credit card.
The credit cards that you can get while unemployed are the subprime cards: Aqua,Capital one and Vanquis..

exel1966

Benefits/Interest payments/pensions/car boot profits etc are all classified as income. Card companies on application will ask for either salary or income. If you satisfy their criteria you'll get a card, though a lack of employment will not help at all.
I doubt very much if you'll be able to get a mainstream card, but you'll possibly get a Sub-prime card with a very small limit and a very high APR.

KingElvis

I wouldn't mess with the Tesco card, they're very choosy.

Try the Capital One Starter card.

https://www.capitalone.co.uk/creditcards/secure/application.jsf

Or maybe try the Braclaycard pre-check tool to see if you qualify?

https://letmechoose.barclaycard.co.uk/

Also, here's a decent list of all the starter cards.

http://www.moneysupermarket.com/credit-cards/credit-builder/