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How to make a balance transfer
You could transfer balances from other credit card and some store card providers to a single Halifax credit card. With everything in one place, your finances could be easier to manage.
Transfer in four easy steps
Before you transfer
- We’ll need the details of the credit card or store card you want to transfer from – particularly the long number from the front of the card.
- It isn’t possible to transfer balances between cards issued by the same provider. You can only transfer balance from cards featuring the Mastercard®, American Express® or Visa® logo.
- Once any promotional interest rates end, your standard interest rate will apply to any remaining balance. Read through all of the small print carefully before you submit your transfer request.
- Continue to make required payments to your existing provider until your transfer is showing as complete on both accounts.
Not a Halifax customer?
If you’re looking for a new Halifax credit card to transfer balances to, use our eligibility checker to find credit cards you’re likely to be accepted for, with no impact to your credit score.
Think through your options
- Does this option suit my borrowing needs, or should I consider other alternatives?
- Will I be able to make repayments, even if my circumstances change?
Other important information
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Balance transfers may be offered at 0% interest, or a low interest rate, for a set period of time. Either could be good options, depending on how long you plan to borrow for.
Both types of transfer interest rate could be available on your account.
More on credit card interest rates
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A fee could apply to each individual balance transfer you request. This is usually a percentage of the transfer value and will be added to the total transfer amount. For example, a transfer of £1,000 with a 3% fee would total £1,030.
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You need to make at least the minimum payment every month, and stay within your credit limit, to keep any introductory or promotional interest rates, and to avoid extra fees, charges and damage to your credit score.
If you’ve got a Direct Debit set up to make payments to your account, check the amount. If you normally pay the full balance, you might want to reduce that once you’ve submitted your balance transfer request, unless of course you want to pay everything off when your next statement arrives.
You might know that different interest rates apply to portions of your balance, based on transaction type and whether the standard or any promotional rates apply. Your latest credit card statement includes a summary of your interest rates.
As soon as transactions show on your monthly statements, those with a higher-interest rate will be paid before any lower-rate balances, including any promotional rates that might be ending soon.
Balances with the same interest rate will be paid off in this order:
- Cash transactions (ATM or over the counter withdrawals).
- Card purchases.
- Balance and money transfers.
- Default fees, including interest and other charges added.
For each balance type, the oldest transactions, along with any related fees, charges and insurance, will be repaid first.
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You could apply to increase your credit limit if you’d like to transfer more, or larger balances, than your current credit limit would allow. Just be aware, requests are subject to status and security checks.
A summary on requesting balance transfers
Move balances from existing credit cards or store cards to a single credit card.
- With all of your borrowing in one place, your balances could be easier to manage.
- Request a transfer using Online Banking, the Mobile Banking app, by phone or in branch.
- The minimum balance you can transfer is £100, the maximum depends on your credit limit.
- We’ll just need the details of the credit or store card you’d like to transfer a balance from.
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Halifax is a division of Bank of Scotland plc. Registered in Scotland No. SC327000. Registered Office: The Mound, Edinburgh EH1 1YZ. Bank of Scotland plc is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority under registration number 169628.