The search tools encountered errors on subsequent attempts, but I have sufficient information from the first search round. Let me compile the key findings for you.

## UK Credit Card Market Overview (2026) **Market health (FICO data):** - Average credit card spend: £815/month (April 2026), dipped to £790 in May 2026 - Average active balance: £1,950 (April), £1,945 (May) — up ~4% year-on-year - Balance repayment rate: 32.6% (April), rising to 34.1% (May), but still ~4% lower than 2025 - Delinquency: two-payment arrears at 0.4%, three-payment arrears at 0.2% — three-payment arrears up ~17% year-on-year (a concerning trend) **Market structure:** - ~74 live credit card offers tracked across 29 UK providers - 61 cards with no annual fee; median fee £0.00; highest annual fee £650 - Bank of England weighted average APR on interest-charging balances: ~21.6% **Key card categories:** - **0% purchase cards:** TSB Platinum (26 months interest-free) mentioned as a top pick - **0% balance transfer:** Typical deals ~0% for 15 months with ~2.99% transfer fee - **Cashback:** Amex Platinum Cashback Everyday (5% intro, 0.5%/1.25% ongoing, no fee) - **Travel/no FX:** Barclaycard Rewards (no foreign transaction fee, 0.25% cashback), Halifax Clarity - **Avios/rewards:** BA Premium Plus for high-spend frequent flyers **Regulatory context:** - Representative APR must apply to at least 51% of accepted applicants (FCA rules) - **Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974** protects purchases between £100 and £30,000 - All providers must be FCA-authorised - Interchange fee caps: 0.2% for debit, 0.3% for credit (domestic) **Credit scoring (three CRAs):** - Experian (0–999): Good 881–960, Excellent 961–999 - Equifax (0–1,000): Good 531–670, Excellent 811–1,000 - TransUnion (0–710): Good 566–603, Excellent 628–710 - Payment history ~35% of score; missed payment can cost 50–150 points - Keep utilisation below 30% per card, ideally below 10% overall - Use soft-search eligibility checkers to avoid hard searches **Editor's verdict summary:** - Cashback: Amex Platinum Cashback Everyday - 0% purchases: TSB Platinum (26 months) - Travel: Barclaycard Rewards or Halifax Clarity - Always pay in full monthly — APR of 22.9–35.9% erodes benefits Note: Some searches encountered service errors, so figures like the Bank of England rate are drawn from a secondary source (November 2025 data) and current 0% balance transfer terms may vary by provider. For up-to-date offers, check comparison sites directly.