Picture a cardholder who opens an email from a card provider: “Good news, we have raised your credit limit.” This is an illustration, not a real person or a statistic. It prompts a practical question. When may a lender raise, or even offer to raise, a credit card limit, and what must it do first? The answer comes from rules in the FCA’s Consumer Credit sourcebook, CONC 6.7 (the Handbook page shows it was last updated on 15 July 2026), together with MoneyHelper’s guidance on limits (read 25 October 2026). This is general information, not advice.
What the email can and cannot do
Rule CONC 6.7.7R is a ban with two triggers. A firm must not increase, or offer to increase, a customer’s credit limit on a credit card or retail revolving credit agreement where:
- the firm has been advised that the customer does not wish to have any credit limit increases; or
- the customer is at risk of financial difficulties.
The wording covers an offer to increase as well as an increase itself. The Handbook page dates this rule 19 December 2018.
Who counts as “at risk”
The FCA’s guidance in CONC 6.7.11G says a customer is at risk of financial difficulties for these purposes if the customer:
- is two or more payments in arrears;
- has agreed a repayment plan with the firm; or
- is in serious discussion with a firm that carries on debt counselling, with a view to entering a debt management plan, and the firm has been notified of this.
The same definition is used for CONC 6.7.10R, which says a firm must not increase the interest rate for a customer at risk of financial difficulties, other than where a promotional rate ends. Rate rises have their own rules, covered in this site’s guide to when a lender raises your interest rate.
Saying no, and staying no
Under CONC 6.7.8R, a firm with a credit card or retail revolving credit agreement must let the customer, at any time, reduce or decline offers to increase the limit, and must let the customer decline to receive such offers at all. MoneyHelper says much the same from the customer’s side: a provider may offer a higher limit unprompted, and a customer who does not want it should tell the provider, who should make it easy to opt out.
Notice before an increase takes effect
CONC 6.7.9R covers a limit increase the firm itself proposes. It must notify the customer:
- at least 30 days before the increase takes effect, for a regulated credit agreement for a credit card or a store card; or
- at least 28 days before, for a retail revolving credit agreement other than a store card.
There are two exceptions. The notice is not required where the increase is at the customer’s express request, or where the firm proposes it, the customer agrees at that time and wishes it to take effect in less than 30 or 28 days, as the case may be. The Handbook page dates this rule 19 March 2019.
When the customer is the one asking
MoneyHelper says it is important to work out whether the repayments and interest are affordable, and that overdraft interest rates are usually over 40%, while credit card rates are also high unless the customer is in a 0% period. It adds that increasing a limit because of difficulty paying bills, including credit repayments, will make money problems worse, and that debt advice may help first. MoneyHelper also says:
- it is a good idea for a new customer to wait several months, so the lender can see repayments being made on the original amount;
- going over the limit or missing payments makes an increase unlikely;
- after a refusal, lots of applications elsewhere will damage the credit score.
Where to go for help
For anyone already finding repayments hard, the free debt advice guide explains regulated, free help, and the guide to credit card persistent debt covers a separate FCA duty to contact customers whose payments mostly cover interest and charges.
FAQs
Does the 30-day notice apply if I request the increase myself?
No. CONC 6.7.9R(3)(a) says the notification is not required where the increase is at the express request of the customer.
Can a lender offer an increase if I am two payments behind?
Not under CONC 6.7.7R, read with the guidance in 6.7.11G on customers at risk of financial difficulties.
The bottom line
Under the FCA’s CONC 6.7 rules, a card or retail revolving credit lender must not raise or offer to raise a limit for a customer who has asked for no increases or who is at risk of financial difficulties, must let customers reduce or decline offers, and must give 30 days’ notice (28 for retail revolving credit other than store cards) of an increase it proposes, unless the customer asked for it or agrees to a faster start. Whether to ask for more credit is a separate affordability question. This is general information, not advice.
Sources
- CONC 6.7 Post contract: business practices, rules 6.7.7R to 6.7.11G (FCA Handbook, handbook.fca.org.uk, read 25 October 2026)
- Managing credit well: before you increase your credit limit (moneyhelper.org.uk, read 25 October 2026)