Effect of salary sacrifice and end-of-year tax code changes on credit card applications?

InvesterJones

Grumpy_chap said:

InvesterJones said:

born_again said:

Why not just apply for the account you want, & stop worrying about A & B. 
As you have not mentioned the biggest factor. How much avaiable debt you are carrying at present.

What's 'available' debt? I have no debts (no mortgage, current credit card paid off in full)

Your "available debt" is any debt you are actually carrying (which you indicate is nil) plus any debt you could be carrying without further lender approval.  This would include credit card facilities that are available to you.  A new prospective lender has no way of knowing whether you will or will not go out on a spending spree and max out all your credit cards straight away.

OK thanks, so existing credit limit, and if this is too high it'd be the biggest factor? So I could simply lower the limit on my current card ahead of application?

Nasqueron

The effect of available credit is debatable, some may see it as a positive that lenders trust you with that much. Purely anecdotally, I've had tonnes of credit available and kept stacking balance transfer cards, I only closed a couple last year as they weren't great limits and weren't giving offers. No-one really knows how credit checks work to stop the system being gamed, but debts, black marks and income are far more likely to impact than an out of character splurge running up debts on all your cards.

Also a change in your limit is just shown as a change, not why it was done, lenders might think another lender had reduced your limit as they were concerned so it's not a guarantee of better credit limits