credit card on household income

thestarwalker

YorkshireBoy wrote: »

Why not ask the joint (current?) account provider if she can have one with them?

We did ask HSBC (who we bank with) if they would provide a credit card, but they insisted she have a stable income first.

thestarwalker

Just to update this, I called up two CC companies and this is there answer:

Aqua - They wouldn't give her a credit card as she doesn't have her own income (they don't do household income).

Vanquis - They wouldn't give her a credit card as she hasn't lived in the UK for 3 years.

Will keep my eyes open for another product, but I don't want to risk her applying for something and then getting rejected.

droiderm

I wouldn't lend money to someone who didn't work.

Better_Off_1983

I used to work for the credit card collections department of a high street bank.

The amount of wives/girlfriends I spoke to when they gave the sob story that their husband has left them or he has lost his job and he was the main breadwinner was commonplace.

She needs to establish herself in the country, get a bank account, maintain it accordingingly and get a job so that she is not dependent on anyone.

thestarwalker

Better_Off_1983 wrote: »

I used to work for the credit card collections department of a high street bank.

The amount of wives/girlfriends I spoke to when they gave the sob story that their husband has left them or he has lost his job and he was the main breadwinner was commonplace.

She needs to establish herself in the country, get a bank account, maintain it accordingingly and get a job so that she is not dependent on anyone.

_droiderm wrote: »

I wouldn't lend money to someone who didn't work.

Both fair points, but we wanted to improve the credit rating for mortgages etc. Even a £10 CC credit limit would have been acceptable. But I understand the CC companies point of view.

Ravenshade

There are no cards that actually calculate household income, it is all about individual risk as the card is given to the user rather than the household.

A joint account as suggested by some, might indeed be one way to artificially improve her credit rating but it will also destroy your own.

I recommend getting a Capital One credit card, they're usually easy to come by and one of the better ways to slowly improve credit rating.

Come to think of it, why not employ her? Give her a proven reliable income and her credit rating 'should' shoot up.

The best way is indeed to do things slowly, no matter how frustrating it might be.

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Edit

A final alternative would be to get a prepaid or 'secured' card. They're given to everyone and anyone.

Ravenshade

droiderm wrote: »

I wouldn't lend money to someone who didn't work.

How about a disabled person who has a stable income (ESA/PIP(DLA))? They don't work but why are they more of a risk?

droiderm

Ravenshade wrote: »

How about a disabled person who has a stable income (ESA/PIP(DLA))? They don't work but why are they more of a risk?

Benefits are supposed to provide the absolute minimum standard of living.
That implies there shouldn't be any money left over.


So, no I wouldn't.
It's a moot point anyway I am not a money lender.

MsSupertech

This is getting a little of topic but I'm not sure what being on benefit and therefore having no money left over has to do with a using credit card..?
Please don't assume all card users are running up debts on their cards.. :)Responsible card use can be about balancing income and outgoings in the short term and taking advantage of cashback etc :beer:

Eydon

Ravenshade wrote: »

There are no cards that actually calculate household income, it is all about individual risk as the card is given to the user rather than the household.

Are you sure?

Whilst I agree with the bit about it being individual risk, as stated above Amex certainly used to only ask for household income (at least they did when I applied a while back).

I applied in my name, with wifey as additional cardholder, entering my salary as household income and application was declined.

Re-applied a few minutes later in wifey's name with me as additional cardholder entering my salary as household income and application was approved.

Wifey is a stay-at-home Mum with no income.