Why can’t I get a credit card?
If you’re struggling to get credit and have been declined for a credit card in the past, you’re not alone. It’s understandable to feel frustrated or confused. This blog explains why your credit card application may be declined, and how to improve your credit eligibility.
Estimated read time: 6 mins
Why am I not eligible for a credit card?
As a responsible lender, we look at lots of things when we review your application. We use credit scoring to decide if approving the application is best for you or not. This helps us make consistent decisions and treat all applicants fairly and responsibly.
Common factors that might affect your credit card application include:
- Poor credit history or bad credit
- High outstanding balances
- Limited or no credit history
We’ll explain these in more detail later in the blog.
Thinking of getting a Vanquis Credit Card?
To be eligible, you must be 18 years old or over, have a regular income and be a permanent UK resident.
You’re not eligible if you’re bankrupt, have an active Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA), have an open application with us, or if we declined you in the last six months.
To check if you’re eligible, you’ll need:
- Your address for the last three years
- Your bank info
- Your annual income
- Your monthly expenses
Check if you’ll get accepted without affecting your credit score. Representative 42.9% APR (variable).
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What are some of the possible reasons for a credit card decline?
Many personal and financial factors can affect your ability to get a credit card, such as:
Credit history and behaviour
High outstanding credit card balances
High outstanding credit card balances can harm your credit card application. This can signal to lenders that you might be facing financial strain. If you want extra help cutting costs or controlling spending, try our money-saving app, Snoop.
Limited or no credit history
If you’ve never had a credit card or loan, lenders might struggle to assess your creditworthiness. Experian says you’ll need to have an active account for at least three to six months to generate a credit score.
Credit scores reflect your credit history. They show lenders how reliable you are at making payments on time. Not having a credit history can negatively affect your rating.
Late or missed payments
Regularly missing payments can damage your credit score and make it harder to get approved for credit. Late payments are usually kept on your credit report for six years.
If you keep a good payment record and pay on time in the future, the effect of one late or missed payment will lessen.
If you have a valid reason for missing a payment, like a long-term illness or unemployment, you can ask a credit reference agency to add a Notice of
Correction to your report. This gives you the opportunity to explain this to potential lenders.
Too many recent credit applications (hard searches)
When you apply for credit, a lender will carry out a hard search on your report. This type of credit check leaves a mark on your file. If many applications show up in a short time, it can raise red flags, as it shows lenders that you might be a financial risk to lend to.
County Court Judgments (CCJs), bankruptcies and Individual Voluntary Agreement (IVAs)
Having any of these on your record can negatively impact credit applications and stay on your record for up to six years. Lenders may think you can’t manage more debt, so they might decline your credit card application.
Personal and financial circumstances
Low income or unstable employment history
Your employment status and how long you’ve held your job can have a big impact on your application. If your income is too low, a lender may reject your application. They might think you can’t handle your monthly repayments.
Lenders often require a consistent, sufficient income to consider someone a reliable borrower.
Not being on the electoral roll
Being on the electoral roll helps lenders verify your identity, such as your name and address. If you’re not registered, it may cause issues during the application process.
If you can’t register for the electoral roll, try contacting a credit reference agency. These include Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. They’ll be able to add a Notice of Correction to your credit file. This is a short statement explaining why you can’t register on the electoral roll.
Lender is unable to confirm your identity
A lender may deny your credit card application if they can’t verify your identity. This can happen because of missing info or errors on your credit file.
Financial associations to someone with poor credit
Sharing joint accounts or finances with someone who has bad credit can impact your credit score.
Eligibility criteria
Each lender has its own lending criteria. Some might not lend to people because of their age, location, income or job.
Application and credit report accuracy
Errors on your credit file
It’s important to look out for mistakes in your credit report. Errors can cause delays or rejections in credit applications. You can check your credit reports for free with TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax.
Mistakes on your application form
Your application could also be refused if there is a mistake on any of the forms. These can be simple errors, like typos or incorrect info.
If you’re unsure what’s affecting your credit score, request an up-to-date report from a credit reference agency.
Learn more about adverse credit history.
How can I improve my credit card eligibility?
There is a lot you can do to increase your chances of getting finance, and improving your credit score is high on that list. Here are some steps you can take to improve your credit score:
Reduce existing debts
Paying off your debts can lower your credit utilisation ratio (the percentage of your total available credit that is being used). In turn, this positively impacts your credit score. It’s recommended to keep your credit utilisation below 30% of your credit limit. This can positively impact your credit score.
Learn more about how to pay off credit card debit.
Keep old credit accounts open
Closing old credit accounts can shorten your credit history. This may lower your average account age and reduce your credit score.
Manage accounts well
Paying on time and keeping your accounts in good shape shows lenders you have responsible credit use.
Register to vote
Making sure you’re on the electoral roll is an easy fix, but it can really make a difference to your credit rating. You can register online, and it should only take around five minutes. When you’re on the electoral roll, lenders can find your info quickly. Being on the electoral roll can also save you time on credit applications.
Address defaults and CCJs
Take steps to settle any defaults or CCJs on your credit report.
Wait to apply again
If your credit card application was declined, wait a bit before applying again. This allows time to improve your credit report.
It may help to cut financial ties, like joint accounts, if the other person has credit issues and a low credit rating.
Then, check if you can get a credit card even with bad credit or no credit history.
Eligibility checkers
Eligibility checkers give you a quick insight into your credit eligibility without any risk. They let you see your chances of being approved for credit before you apply. They have no impact on your credit score as they use a ‘soft search’, which only you can see on your credit report.
This helps you avoid excessive applications and ‘hard searches’ that could damage your credit profile.
Vanquis credit cards
Check out our selection of Vanquis credit cards, designed to help you manage unexpected expenses and build your credit.
Easily check your eligibility for all our cards with our free tool, allowing you to explore your options without affecting your credit score.
Find the ideal credit card for you and get the support you need to manage your spending today.
Representative 42.9% APR (variable)
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