Credit card eligibility checker

A credit card eligibility checker is an online tool that used your personal financial profile to determine your likelihood of approval for various credit cards. This not only saves time but also minimises the risk of rejection, which can negatively impact your credit score.

We've partnered with Experian for our credit card eligibility service. It uses a soft credit check, which doesn't leave a footprint on your credit report visible to other lenders. This enables users to assess their eligibility without affecting their credit score adversely. The tool considers various factors, including your income, credit history, and outstanding debts, to provide an accurate assessment. To obtain precise results from the credit card eligibility checker, users must provide accurate information. Key details include:

• Personal information: Full name, date of birth, and residential address.

• Employment details: Current employment status, income, and employment history.

• Financial information: Existing credit commitments, outstanding debts, and monthly expenses.

• Credit history: Information about any past credit issues, such as late payments or defaults.

Upon completing the credit card eligibility check, you'll receive results indicating your likelihood of approval for various credit cards. These results will be presented as a percentage, with a higher percentage indicating a higher likelihood of approval.

You should interpret these results carefully, understanding that a lower percentage does not necessarily mean outright rejection but might suggest exploring other options or improving your financial standing before applying for a credit card.

What does it mean to be pre-approved?

You might find that you're pre-approved for certain credit cards. Pre-approval dramatically reduces your chances of rejection, but it’s not an absolute guarantee. If you apply for a pre-approved offer, the lender will still carry out its own checks, including a hard credit check and your application could fail at this point for several reasons such as:

• You supplied incorrect name or financial details

• You fail fraud and anti-money laundering checks

• Your income verification fails / your income is inaccurate

If you want to improve your credit score, there are a few steps you can take:

• Get registered on the electoral roll

• Check for mistakes on your credit file

• Pay your bills on time. This includes utility bills and repayments on any debts

• Reduce the amount of existing debt

• Keep your credit utilisation low. This is the amount of credit you're using vs the amount of credit available to you. Generally, it's a good idea to keep your credit utilisation at 30% or below

• Avoid making several applications for credit at the same time

• Wait at least six months before re-applying for credit if you've been rejected for credit.

If you're struggling to find a card and need to improve your credit record, you could consider a credit building card.

Here's how else you can improve your credit record, including how to get a free credit score.