Credit cards for those with adverse credit history

Credit cards have become an essential part of most people's lives. It is hard to book a holiday, buy goods over the internet, or tickets to the theatre and sporting events without one. They also can offer you extra protection when things go wrong if you have spent more than £100 in a transaction. But if you have been in financial trouble at some stage and have arrears, a County Court Judgment (CCJ) or bankruptcy you may find it very hard to get a credit card.

One in four of the adult population in the UK has had some form of adverse credit history. So how can they go about repairing their credit history? Many find themselves in a chicken and egg situation. They have sorted out their finances but still can't get a credit card because of their poor financial record in the past. But because they can't get a credit card they cannot build up any new "clean" credit history.

Don't think you can simply go to one of those companies that claim to be able to repair your credit and have County Court Judgments or any other records removed. These claims are false - this can only be done if they were incorrectly registered or if the action against you has been discharged.

There are legitimate ways in which Judgments can be set aside - for instance if the sum is paid within a month of Judgment or if a person genuinely has not received the relevant summons. Information on what to do in these circumstances is available free from the county court. But this is not the case for most people - the Judgments were correctly issued.

So how can you go about getting out of the credit card Catch 22 if you have adverse credit? Few credit card providers are willing to take "risks" with adverse credit history consumers applying for their products - and some of those that do then want to charge the people who can least afford it the highest rate of interest. Fortunately for those who face such a prospect there are some financial institutions prepared to consider taking adverse credit history customers on.

However you still need to be careful. If your case makes sense these lenders may be willing to consider you, but be absolutely upfront with them about your past problems so as to avoid wasting time - it would be a pity to go through a lot of paperwork with a lender only for them to discover later that your previous history means they cannot lend to you.