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118 118 money credit card

Credit Cards for Bad Credit and Unemployed

118 118 money credit card
  • Designed for people building back from poor credit
  • Check your eligibility with no impact to your credit score
  • Find out your credit limit before you apply
Check My Eligibility This won't affect your credit score

Representative example: Amount of credit £1,200. Interest rate: 49.0% pa (variable) Representative 49.0% APR (variable)

Can you get a credit card if you are unemployed and have bad credit?

If you are searching for credit cards for bad credit and unemployed applicants, the first thing to know is that lenders do not usually look at employment status in isolation. What matters most is whether you can afford the repayments from your overall financial situation, alongside how you have handled credit in the past.

That means being unemployed does not automatically rule you out. Some applicants may still be considered if they have regular income from other sources and meet the lender's affordability checks. If you also have poor credit, using an eligibility checker first can help you avoid making full applications that may not fit your circumstances.

118 118 Money offers a credit card designed for people with less than perfect credit histories. Our eligibility check lets you see whether you are likely to be accepted before you decide whether to make a full application.

Check before you apply
Use our eligibility check to see whether you are likely to be accepted and what credit limit we may offer you before you make a full application.
Check My Eligibility This won't affect your credit score
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What lenders usually look at

If you have bad credit and you are not currently employed, these are some of the main factors that can shape whether a card is likely to be right for you.

Regular income
Lenders usually want to see that you have enough income coming in to manage monthly repayments after essential bills and existing borrowing are taken into account.

Recent credit history
Missed payments, arrears, defaults and recent court judgments can reduce your chances, while a cleaner recent record may help even if your score is not perfect.

Current commitments
Credit card providers look at how much of your existing credit you already use and whether more borrowing would still be affordable for you.

A sensible credit limit
A lower starting limit can be easier to manage and may help you build better repayment habits over time.

Checking before applying
An eligibility checker can help you understand where you stand before a full application leaves a hard search on your credit file.

118 118 money black card

Guaranteed Rate and Credit Limit

  • Check your eligibility with no impact to your credit score
  • Find out your credit limit before you apply
  • Build better habits with clear monthly repayments
Check My Eligibility

When a bad credit card may help

A credit card for poor credit can be useful if you want to rebuild your credit profile slowly and you are confident the repayments fit your budget. Using a modest limit for planned spending and paying on time each month can show positive repayment behaviour on your credit file.

It is usually less helpful if money is already stretched and you would expect to rely on the card for essential everyday costs without a clear way to repay. In that situation, taking on more borrowing can put more pressure on your monthly budget.

Why an eligibility checker matters

If you are unemployed, have bad credit, or both, repeated full applications can make things harder. A full application normally involves a hard credit search. Using an eligibility checker first helps you understand whether a lender is likely to say yes before you go further.

With 118 118 Money, you can check your eligibility without affecting your credit score. If you are likely to be accepted, you can then decide whether the card and the offered limit make sense for your circumstances.

What to think about before applying

Before taking out any credit card, look carefully at your monthly budget. Make sure the repayments would stay affordable not just this month, but over the coming months too. A credit card should help you manage your money and build better habits, not make your position more difficult.

If your application is successful, a practical approach is to keep spending well within your limit, set up a Direct Debit, and aim to pay on time every month. That is usually the best way to use a card as a tool to rebuild credit.

Why people choose 118 118 Money

118 118 Money offers a simple flat interest rate, a guaranteed credit limit and an eligibility check that lets you see where you stand before you apply. If you are looking for a card because your credit history is not perfect, that can make the process clearer and less stressful.

Representative example: amount of credit £1,200. Interest rate 49.0% pa variable. Representative 49.0% APR variable.

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Credit Card FAQs

It may be possible, but approval depends on your overall financial situation rather than employment status alone. Lenders usually look at income, outgoings, affordability and recent credit history before making a decision.

No. 118 118 Money's eligibility check does not affect your credit score, so you can see whether you are likely to be accepted before deciding whether to make a full application.

Lenders usually want to see that you have enough regular income to cover repayments after your essential spending and existing credit commitments. The exact criteria can vary from one lender to another.

It can help if you use it carefully. Staying within your limit and making every payment on time can show positive repayment behaviour, while missed payments or carrying too much debt can hold you back.

Not always. If repayments would be difficult, taking on more borrowing could put more pressure on your finances. It is important to borrow only when the payments are affordable for your circumstances.

118 118 money credit card

See whether 118 118 Money could be right for you

Use our eligibility check to see whether you are likely to be accepted and what credit limit we may offer you before you apply.

Check My Eligibility
118 118 money credit card