Can you get a joint credit card?
Written by
Emily Tye
Reviewed by
Amy LancashireNo. You can't get a true joint credit card in the UK, where two people share one account and are equally responsible for the debt. UK credit cards are always held in one person's name. What you can do, depending on your provider, is add someone as an additional cardholder, so they get their own card that spends from your credit limit. This guide explains how that works, who's liable, what it means for your credit score, and the alternatives worth weighing up.
What is a joint credit card, and do they exist in the UK?
A joint credit card is a single account held by two people, where both are named on it and both are legally responsible for repaying the full balance. They exist in some countries, including the US, but not in the UK. Here, every credit card has one main account holder.
So when people talk about a "joint credit card" in the UK, they usually mean one of two things: adding an additional cardholder to their account, or sharing spending through a joint bank account. It's worth knowing the difference before you decide, because who's responsible for the debt is very different in each case.
If you're new to how cards work in general, our guide on how credit cards work is a good starting point.
How does an additional cardholder work?
Adding an additional cardholder (sometimes called a supplementary cardholder) is the closest thing to a shared credit card in the UK. One person opens and owns the account, then asks the provider to issue a second card to someone they trust.
Here's what that means in practice:
The additional cardholder gets their own physical card and PIN
Both cards spend from the same credit limit
All spending appears on one monthly statement
The main account holder makes the repayments and manages the account
The additional cardholder can spend, but they can't typically change the credit limit, add other cardholders or close the account. Those all stay with the main account holder. If you're unsure how limits work, read our guide on what a credit limit is.
Who is responsible for the debt?
The main account holder. This is the single most important thing to understand before adding anyone. Even if the additional cardholder makes a purchase, the person who owns the account is fully responsible for repaying it. The additional cardholder has no legal obligation to pay anything back.
That cuts both ways. If the additional cardholder overspends, it's the main account holder who has to cover it. And if repayments are missed, it's the main account holder's credit file that takes the hit.
The main account holder also keeps the usual card protections. For example, Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 can make your provider jointly liable alongside the retailer if something you buy on the card costs over £100 and up to £30,000 and something goes wrong, such as the item never arriving. This protection covers purchases the main account holder makes. If the additional cardholder makes the purchase, the claim still has to come from the main account holder, and, according to MoneyHelper, it may be rejected unless the purchase was a joint one, such as a family holiday, or something for the main account holder.
Is an additional cardholder credit checked?
Not always. When you first apply for the card, you go through a full credit check and affordability assessment, because you're the one taking on the borrowing. Adding an additional cardholder later may only involve a basic identity check, not a full credit check, because they aren't taking on any debt.
However, providers differ, so check the specific terms before you apply.
For more on this, see our guide on whether applying for a credit card affects your credit score.
Does an additional cardholder affect either person's credit score?
This is where UK cards work differently from what you might read on US sites.
For the main account holder, yes. The account sits on your credit file, so how you manage it, whether you pay on time and how much of your limit you use, affects your credit score for better or worse.
For the additional cardholder, generally not. In the UK, the account is reported on the main account holder's credit file, not the additional cardholder's. So being an additional cardholder doesn't build their credit, and missed payments won't damage it either. That's different from the US, where “authorised users” may be able to build credit this way, so a lot of online advice gets this wrong for a UK reader.
If your aim is to help someone build their credit history, an additional card won't do it in the UK.
Being an additional cardholder is also not the same as a financial association. You only become financially linked to someone on your credit file when you take out genuine joint credit together, which is one of the ways joint accounts affect your credit score.
Should I add someone to my credit card?
It comes down to how much you trust the other person and why you want to share. Here's the trade-off.
Advantages
A simple way to share spending on one account and one statement
The additional cardholder doesn't need to apply for a separate credit card
You keep full control of the account and the credit limit
Disadvantages
You're liable for everything the additional cardholder spends
It won't help the additional cardholder build their own credit
Missed payments damage your credit file, even if the additional cardholder did the spending
If the relationship changes, untangling shared spending can be awkward
What are the alternatives to a joint credit card?
If a single-holder card with an additional cardholder doesn't suit you, there are two main alternatives.
Two separate credit cards. You each apply for your own card and stay responsible for your own spending. You can still use them for shared costs and settle up between you.
A joint bank account. If you want genuinely shared money with equal access and equal responsibility, a joint current account does that. Both of you can be liable for any overdraft, and it creates a financial association on your credit files.
If your aim is to build your own credit rather than share spending, a card in your own name is usually the better route. You can read more about credit cards for building credit and credit cards for bad credit.
Sharing a card and financial abuse
Sharing access to credit is built on trust, and it's worth being honest about what happens when that trust breaks down. Economic abuse, where one person controls another's access to money, is more common than many people realise. 1 in 6 women in the UK have experienced economic abuse by a current or former partner, according to Surviving Economic Abuse.
Because the main account holder is liable for all the spending, an additional card can be misused. If you feel pressured to add someone to your account, or to spend on a card that isn't yours, or you're worried about money and control in a relationship, support is available and you don't have to deal with it alone. You can also call the National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247, or the Men's Advice Line for male victims on 0808 8010 327.
FAQs
There are a range of financial products available that may suit your needs. We encourage you to research your options carefully and consider seeking independent financial advice before making any decisions. This blog is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.
