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uSwitch.com's credit card cheque investigation has revealed that more than 14.1 million UK consumers have been sent more than 280 million credit card cheques in the last year, 97% of these were unsolicited. 3.2 million of these cheques have been used by consumers spending a staggering £3.6 billion.

Only 45% of UK Credit Cardholders are using a Credit Card that rewards their spending in any way, according to research by American Express Platinum Cashback Credit Card. More than half of all Credit Cardholders (51%) do not have a reward card, 8% fewer than the 2006 figure (43%).

Nearly half of all credit cards (47%) now require applicants to have a minimum income with an average of just over £18,000 needed in order to qualify, according to new research from MoneyExpert.com.

Consumers looking to fund their Christmas with their credit card are going to find the cost of borrowing has increased significantly, despite dramatic base rate cuts in the last few months, according to moneyfacts.co.uk.

Rates on store cards have climbed by one per cent in the past six months with the most expensive now charging more than 30 per cent to borrowers, according to research from MoneyExpert.com.

Commenting on Capital One's shock move away from offering long-term zero per cent purchases and balance transfers, Peter Harrison, credit card expert at moneysupermarket.com, said:

Newcastle Building Society has beaten off strong competition from a range of household names to be named as the leading organisation in the international prepaid cards market.

Borrowers planning to transfer credit card debts are facing a clampdown by card firms as the number and length of deals are cut, according to new analysis from MoneyExpert.com.