Status: checked against official sources; automated independent review
FREQUENT FLYER GLOSSARY
What is a balance transfer?
Balance transfer is the move of an existing credit card balance onto another credit card, usually to take advantage of a promotional interest rate. In the United Kingdom the length of the promotional period and the fee charged to move the debt are set card by card: as of 18 October 2026, Barclaycard advertised 0% balance transfer offers of up to 36 months with a 3.15% transfer fee, and NatWest advertised a 0% balance transfer offer of up to 36 months with a 3.10% fee. [1] [2]
Facts checked: 18 October 2026
Key takeaways
- A balance transfer settles a balance you already owe on one card and moves it to another, so the debt then runs on the receiving card's terms instead of the old ones.
- The promotional window and the transfer fee are separate conditions. Among the offers listed here, the cheaper fees sit on the shorter offers: Barclaycard's 12-month card carries a 0% transfer fee and NatWest's 11-month card a 0.00% fee, while the two 36-month offers carry 3.15% and 3.10%. [1] [2]
- There is a deadline to move the money. Barclaycard requires the transfer within 60 days of opening the account to get the 0% offer, and NatWest requires it in the first three months. [1] [2]
- A promotional rate can be withdrawn if the account terms are broken, for example by missing the minimum payment. [3]
How does a balance transfer work?
A transfer does not buy anything new. It moves a debt you already owe from one account to another, which is why the terms that matter are the ones on the receiving card: the length of any promotional rate, the fee to move the money, and the deadline for doing it. Interest-free period rules on the new account then decide how long the transferred balance sits at the promotional rate.
Barclaycard. Its balance transfer cards apply 0% interest on balance transfers from the date the account is opened, and transfers must be made within 60 days to benefit from the 0% offer. [1] The fee is charged on each balance transfer made. [1] The site also runs a separate service for transferring a credit card balance to a Barclaycard. [1]
NatWest. Its balance transfer cards apply 0% on balance transfers for up to a set number of months from account opening, provided the balance is transferred in the first three months. [2] After the 0% offer ends, standard rates apply. [2]
Lloyds Bank. It groups balance transfer cards as a way to consolidate balances from most credit cards and some store cards, and says transfer fees may apply. [3]
What 0% periods and transfer fees do UK cards advertise?
The table sets out the balance transfer terms advertised by three UK issuers as of 18 October 2026. Each figure belongs to that issuer's card only. [1] [2]
| Issuer | Card | 0% period on balance transfers | Transfer fee | Deadline to transfer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barclaycard | Platinum up to 36 month balance transfer card | Up to 36 months from account opening [1] | 3.15% [1] | Within 60 days [1] |
| Barclaycard | Platinum up to 24 month balance transfer and up to 21 month purchase card | Up to 24 months from account opening [1] | 3.45% [1] | Within 60 days [1] |
| Barclaycard | Platinum up to 22 month balance transfer card | Up to 22 months from account opening [1] | 1.49% [1] | Within 60 days [1] |
| Barclaycard | Platinum up to 21 month balance transfer and up to 24 month purchase card | Up to 21 months from account opening [1] | 3.45% [1] | Within 60 days [1] |
| Barclaycard | Platinum up to 12 month balance transfer card | Up to 12 months from account opening [1] | 0% [1] | Within 60 days [1] |
| Barclaycard | Forward credit card | 6 months from account opening [1] | 2.9% [1] | Within 60 days [1] |
| NatWest | Longer Balance Transfer card | Up to 36 months from account opening [2] | 3.10% [2] | In the first 3 months [2] |
| NatWest | Purchase & Balance Transfer card | Up to 21 months from account opening [2] | 3.49% [2] | In the first 3 months [2] |
| NatWest | Balance Transfer credit card | Up to 11 months from account opening [2] | 0.00% [2] | In the first 3 months [2] |
Not every card in this group uses a 0% window. The NatWest Credit Card is advertised with low interest rates on purchases and balance transfers and no balance transfer fee to move debt from another card. [2] Lloyds Bank gives no period or percentage on its card overview and states instead that transfer fees may apply. [3]
The headline period is a maximum, not a promise. Barclaycard says the balance transfer period and interest rates may differ from those shown, because approval depends on a customer's financial circumstances and borrowing history. [1] NatWest says the length of its 0% offers depends on its credit assessment of the applicant. [2] Once the offer ends, standard rates apply; how that ongoing interest is quoted is explained under card APR. [2]
Who can transfer a balance, and how much?
NatWest says that to apply you must be a UK resident, aged 18 or over and earning £10,000 or more each year. Your balance transfer must be at least £100, and balance transfer limits and exclusions apply. [2]
Lloyds Bank says applicants must be UK resident, 18 or over and have a regular income, and that you will not qualify if you are unemployed or a student, have bankruptcies on your credit file, have County Court Judgements or Individual Voluntary Agreements, or have been declined for a Lloyds credit card within the last 30 days. [3] It also notes that the credit limit and interest rate offered depend on factors such as past borrowing history, how well accounts are managed, income and spending commitments. [3]
Barclaycard's Forward credit card comes with a personalised credit limit between £50 and £1,200. [1]
Exceptions and limits
- Losing the promotional rate. Lloyds Bank warns that you could lose any promotional rates if you do not meet the terms of your account, for example by not making at least the minimum payment on time each month; if that happens, the standard account interest rates, fees and charges apply. [3]
- Transfer deadlines are strict. A Barclaycard transfer made after the 60-day window does not benefit from the 0% offer, and a NatWest transfer made after the first three months falls outside its 0% offer. [1] [2]
- Fees are charged per transfer. Barclaycard states its transfer fee applies on each balance transfer made. [1]
- Credit file effects. Lloyds Bank notes that carrying high debt balances, missing payments and going over your credit limit could negatively affect your credit score, which sits alongside credit utilisation. [3] A Lloyds eligibility check uses a soft search that will not affect your credit score, but a full application involves a full credit check that will be noted on your credit file and may affect your score. [3]
- Which balances can move. Lloyds Bank describes consolidation of balances from most credit cards and some store cards, so coverage is not universal. [3] NatWest states that balance transfer limits and exclusions apply. [2]
Frequently asked questions
Is a balance transfer always interest-free?
No. Among the UK cards described here, some pair a 0% window with a transfer fee, and The NatWest Credit Card is advertised with low interest rates on purchases and balance transfers rather than a 0% offer. [1] [2]
How much does a balance transfer cost?
The fee is a percentage of the amount moved and varies by card: the offers listed here range from 0% to 3.49%, charged on each balance transfer made. [1] [2]
How quickly do I have to move the balance?
Barclaycard requires the transfer within 60 days of opening the account to get its 0% offer, and NatWest requires the balance to be transferred in the first three months. [1] [2]
What happens when the 0% period ends?
NatWest says that after the 0% offers end you pay its standard rates. [2] Lloyds Bank adds that failing to make at least the minimum payment on time can end a promotional rate early, with standard rates, fees and charges applying instead. [3]
Can I transfer a store card balance?
Lloyds Bank describes balance transfer cards as consolidating balances from most credit cards and some store cards, so the answer depends on the card. [3]
Sources
Sources checked on 18 October 2026. The page covers balance transfer cards marketed to UK customers by Barclaycard, NatWest and Lloyds Bank; other UK issuers, and issuers in other markets, are not covered.
- Barclaycard credit cards and balance transfer offers, checked 18 October 2026
- NatWest credit cards and balance transfer cards, checked 18 October 2026
- Lloyds Bank credit cards and balance transfer cards, checked 18 October 2026