Credit Cards | News, rates and offers from card providers

Andrew Hagger of Moneynet.co.uk comments on the announcement that the Government proposes to stop customers being mailed with unsolicited credit card cheques.

As the Governments' spotlight shines on the UK's credit card market in a new white paper, research from uSwitch.com reveals that 5.7 million consumers have seen their credit limit increased by an average of £1,538 in the past 12 months without their consent.

Almost 2 million consumers have been rejected for balance transfer deals in the last year, according to analysis from uSwitch.com. This represents 57% of all credit card rejections, forcing these consumers to fork out £535 million in interest payments in the next 12 months as they are unable to switch to a new provider.

Almost half the nation's credit card users are reining in their spending by just under an average of £100 a month or the equivalent of over £1,100 a year according to research from Tescocompare.com, the financial search engine.

Rumina Hassam, personal finance expert at uSwitch.com, comments on Santander's celebratory offer to mark the rebranding of Abbey credit cards: "Being charged for using your credit card abroad has long been a raincloud on the holidaymaker's horizon.

Roger Ramsden, Chief Executive, Saga Personal Finance responds to the Moneyfacts report regarding increasing APRs on credit cards: "It is disappointing to see that despite a series of cuts to the Bank of England base rate, many credit card providers have increased the APR available on their products.

On Monday 15 June, Abbey will rebrand its credit cards as Santander. The rebrand follows last month's announcement that Santander's three UK businesses, Abbey, Alliance & Leicester and Bradford & Bingley Savings, will adopt the Santander global brand and name in 2010.

Identity fraudsters across the country are turning their attention from the wealthy to lower income victims living in rented accommodation where their personal details are most vulnerable, according to research from CreditExpert.