Telephone us on 08 456 100 100
Section: Our credit cards.
Apply for a first direct gold card (opens overlay window)
Our Gold Card is great for day to day use - and it's even better right now as we're currently offering 0% on Balance Transfers for 20 months. On top of that, it boasts a minimum credit limit of £3,000.
Representative example: based on an assumed credit limit of £3,000, our 16.9% rate p.a. for purchases gives a representative rate of 16.9% APR variable.
Credit is subject to status. This promotion is only available to new first direct customers who hold a 1st Account and do not hold a first direct Credit Card and have not held a credit card with first direct within the previous 6 months. The rate for Balance Transfers is 0% for 20 months when you make a Balance Transfer within 2 months of account opening. A Balance Transfer fee of 2.9% (min £5) will be charged for each transferred balance. At the end of the promotional period the rate for the transferred balance will revert to the standard variable rate then applicable to Balance Transfers. We will not transfer balances between cards operated by members of the HSBC Group. Any request to do so will not be processed. The HSBC Group means HSBC Bank plc, its subsidiaries, associated and affiliated companies and includes Marks & Spencer Money and John Lewis Partnership Card.
promotional message or information
You'll find more information about the Gold Card below - but please also read our Gold Card Agreement PDF download (opens in new window) and Terms and Conditions PDF download (opens in new window) before you apply.
Our downloads are in a PDF format. To read them you'll need to have Adobe Reader 4.0™ or above. It's free and you can get Adobe Reader here (opens in new window).
Main features of this card include:
| APR | Representative 16.9 % APR variable | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other interest rates | Introductory rate | Monthly rate | Annual rate | |||||||||||||
| Purchases | n/a | 1.315% | 15.780% | |||||||||||||
| Cash Advances | n/a | 1.809% | 21.708% | |||||||||||||
| Balance Transfers* see important notes |
0% p.a. for 20 months | 1.315% | 15.780% | |||||||||||||
| Interest free period |
Up to 56 days for Purchases if you pay your balance in full and on time. There is no interest free period for Special Balance Transfers** or Cash Advances. This is subject to any interest free promotional offer. **Any Balance Transfer completed after account opening and charged at a promotional rate. |
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| Interest charging information |
You will not pay interest on purchases if you pay your balance in full and on time each month. Otherwise, the period over which interest is charged will be as follows:
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| Allocation of payments |
Payments received are applied to pay off the minimum payment shown on your statement, then the remaining balance on your statement, then any items not yet included in a statement. Within each of these categories we will pay off any Balance Protector*** premium first, then categories of balances in the following order:
In each category, interest and charges are paid first followed by the remainder of the balance. **Any Balance Transfer completed after account opening and charged at a promotional rate. ***A protection policy providing cover for the card repayments. (No longer on sale.) |
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| Minimum monthly repayment |
For Gold Card agreements made before 23 March 2011 - £5 or 3% (whichever is higher) of the Standard Balance, excluding any Balance Protector premium and £5 or 3% of any Special Balance Transfer balances, or the whole balance if it is less than £5. For Gold Card agreements made on or after 23 March 2011 - interest, default charges and any balance protector premium plus 1% of the principal, or 3% of the statement balance or £5 whichever is highest, or the whole balance if it is less than £5. |
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| Credit limit |
Minimum credit limit is £3,000, maximum credit limit subject to status. |
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| Fees |
No annual fee. |
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| Charges |
Cash fee 2.99% of the amount advanced (minimum £3). Includes cash withdrawals, Internal transfers, purchase of travellers cheques or foreign currency and money orders (but not gambling transactions). Balance transfers 2.9% of the amount transferred (minimum £5). Commission on Foreign currency transactions 2.99% of the amount of a non-sterling transaction. |
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| Foreign usage |
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| Default charges |
Late payment fee £12.00. |
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Except where any interest rates are stated to be fixed, all interest rates are variable.
* Promotional rate subject to making a Balance Transfer within 2 months of account opening. Balance Transfer fee of 2.9% (min £5) will be charged for all transactions.
Credit is subject to status. This promotion is only available to new first direct customers who hold a 1st Account and do not hold a first direct Credit Card and have not held a credit card with first direct within the previous 6 months. The rate for Balance Transfers is 0% for 20 months when you make a Balance Transfer within 2 months of account opening. A Balance Transfer fee of 2.9% (min £5) will be charged for each transferred balance. At the end of the promotional period the rate for the transferred balance will revert to the standard variable rate then applicable to Balance Transfers. We will not transfer balances between cards operated by members of the HSBC Group. Any request to do so will not be processed. The HSBC Group means HSBC Bank plc, its subsidiaries, associated and affiliated companies and includes Marks & Spencer Money and John Lewis Partnership Card.
Illustrative example (includes introductory rates*) for purchases of £1,000 on your Gold Card:
| Minimum payment each month | £50 payment each month | £100 payment each month | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How much interest will you be charged in the first year? | £158.89 | £139.41 | £92.98 |
| how much interest will you be charged in the second year? | £118.76 | £45.66 | n/a |
| How long would it take to clear the balance? | 12 years, 7 months | 2 years | 11 months |
The above example assumes the following: the transaction takes place on the first day of January and you make no further transactions; you always make the payment on the 15th; your statement is produced 31 days after you make the purchase; interest is calculated based on the representative 16.9% APR variable rate and introductory rates are included.
We recommend that you pay more than the minimum payment whenever possible. If you make only the minimum payment each month, it will take you longer and cost you more to clear your balance, as shown in the example above.
A recurring transaction, sometimes called a continuous payment authority, is a series of payments collected with your agreement from your card by a retailer or supplier (for example, insurance cover). This is an agreement between you and the retailer. The Direct Debit Guarantee does not cover these transactions.
To set up a VISA direct debit mandate, order a replacement card, re-order your PIN or manage other details of your account such as balances and payments, visit our Existing customers page. Alternatively, you can call us anytime on 08 456 100 100.
Apply for a first direct gold card (opens overlay window)
You can apply online through your Internet Banking. As you're currently logged in, just select Apply online from the left hand menu within Internet Banking
Log on to apply for our Gold Card (opens in new window)
Once you've logged on to Internet Banking, just select 'Apply', and choose 'Gold Card' from the left hand menu.
If you haven't yet registered for Internet Banking, simply click on the link below and enter your support and access ID details. If you haven't received your support and access IDs, please call us on 08 456 100 100.
To take out a Gold Card, you will also need to open a first direct 1st Account, our current account.
Learn more about the 1st Account
You can also talk to us anytime on:
telephone 0800 24 24 24
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Group.
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