First Direct Credit Card Unaffordable Lending Claims
If you were given a First Direct credit card — or had your credit limit increased — and you couldn’t realistically afford the repayments, you may be entitled to a refund of the interest, fees and charges you’ve paid. This page explains how First Direct affordability claims work, what to look for in your account history, and how to check your eligibility.
In this guide
- About First Direct
- Was Your First Direct Credit Card Unaffordable?
- Common Patterns in First Direct Affordability Claims
- Why Use a Claim Partner for Your First Direct Claim
- How a First Direct Claim Works
- How Far Back Can You Claim?
- What You Might Get Back
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Related Guides
- Our Partner's Fees Explained
- Check If You Could Be Owed Compensation
Check your agreements on Recoup, our claim partner’s site
About First Direct
First Direct is the telephone and online banking division of HSBC UK Bank plc, well known for the 1st Account and a small range of credit cards. Although marketed under the First Direct brand, the regulated entity is HSBC UK Bank plc.
HSBC UK Bank plc is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under FRN 765112. The card is issued through HSBC UK Bank plc — First Direct is a division of HSBC UK Bank plc, not a separate regulated entity. Claims are made against HSBC UK Bank plc..
Was Your First Direct Credit Card Unaffordable?
Under the Financial Conduct Authority’s rules (specifically CONC 5.2A), First Direct must carry out a reasonable and proportionate assessment of whether you can afford to repay credit — sustainably, and without falling into financial difficulty. That duty applies before they give you the card, and again every time they raise your credit limit.
Your First Direct card or a credit limit increase may have been unaffordable if, at the time it was issued or increased:
- First Direct didn’t properly check your income, expenditure or other commitments
- You were already in financial difficulty, missing payments or relying on other credit to service debts
- Repayments would have left you unable to meet essential living costs
- Your credit limit was repeatedly increased without a meaningful review
- You only ever made minimum payments for years, and the lender did nothing to help you out of “persistent debt”
- The card was issued despite clear signs of distress on your file — recent defaults, payday loans, missed mortgage or rent payments
- You were using the card for cash advances or to make payments on other credit
Common Patterns in First Direct Affordability Claims
The Financial Ombudsman has handled many unaffordable lending complaints about First Direct, and several patterns come up repeatedly:
- Affordability checks not proportionate to the limit offered. First Direct cards often have substantial credit limits; FOS has found cases where the checks didn’t match the level of credit extended.
- Lending despite signs of distress on the 1st Account. Where the customer’s First Direct current account showed overdraft reliance, that should have factored into credit decisions.
- Limit increases without meaningful review. Automated increases that didn’t reflect changes in the customer’s actual financial position.
- Persistent debt without intervention. Long-running minimum-payment patterns that the lender’s systems would have seen.
If any of these match your experience with First Direct, your case is worth a closer look.
Why Use a Claim Partner for Your First Direct Claim
Unaffordable lending cases turn on evidence — what First Direct knew, what they checked, and whether what they checked was enough. Our regulated claim partner does this work every day, and brings several advantages over going it alone:
- Evidence the lender takes seriously. The claim partner knows exactly what bank statements, credit-file data and account records are needed to make the case stick — and how to present them in the way First Direct’s complaints team will respond to.
- No back-and-forth for you. Once your case is referred, the partner deals with First Direct on your behalf. You don’t take phone calls, write letters, or chase responses.
- Experience with FOS escalations. If First Direct rejects the complaint, the partner handles the Financial Ombudsman referral, including the detailed submissions FOS expects.
- No upfront cost. If the claim is unsuccessful, you pay nothing. If it succeeds, the claim partner charges a percentage of the redress recovered, in line with the FCA’s fee cap rules.
You don’t have to use a claim partner — you can complain directly to First Direct free of charge and, if you’re unhappy with their response, refer the complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service free of charge. But for most people, the time saved and the strength of evidence make using a partner the more practical option.
How a First Direct Claim Works
The process is the same whether you complain yourself or use a claim partner:
- Eligibility check. A quick review of when your First Direct card was opened, how it was used, what limit increases were applied, and any signs the lending was unaffordable.
- Evidence gathering. Bank statements, credit-file information and First Direct account history are reviewed against the lender’s affordability obligations.
- Complaint to the lender. A detailed, evidenced complaint is submitted to First Direct. They have up to eight weeks to issue a final response.
- Lender response. First Direct may uphold the complaint, partially uphold it, or reject it.
- Escalation to the Financial Ombudsman, if needed. If the response is unsatisfactory, the case can be referred to the FOS, free of charge. FOS decisions are binding on the lender if accepted.
- Redress, if successful. Typical outcomes include a refund of interest and charges, 8% statutory interest on the refunded amount, and removal of adverse credit-file entries linked to the unaffordable lending.
For a step-by-step walk-through, see our guide to how an unaffordable lending claim works.
How Far Back Can You Claim?
There is no fixed cut-off, but two time limits matter:
- The Limitation Act 1980 — generally six years from when the issue arose, though courts and the FOS take a flexible view depending on when you reasonably became aware
- The FOS time-limit rules — usually six years from the event, or three years from when you knew (or should have known) there was a problem
In practice, claims on First Direct cards opened or increased in the last 10–15 years are often still viable. Older claims can sometimes still succeed, particularly where you only recently understood that the lending was unaffordable. For a fuller breakdown, see how far back can I claim for unaffordable lending?
What You Might Get Back
First Direct redress, where a claim succeeds, typically includes:
- A refund of all interest, fees and charges applied to the card from the point at which it became unaffordable
- 8% statutory interest added on top of the refunded amount, calculated from the date each charge was paid
- Removal of adverse credit-file entries linked to the unaffordable lending
- Adjustment or write-off of any outstanding balance — if you still owe First Direct money on the card, the refund is usually applied against the balance first, with any surplus paid out to you
How redress is calculated is explained in detail in our guide on how unaffordable lending redress is calculated.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I claim if I’ve already closed my First Direct account?
Yes. You can make an unaffordable lending complaint about a First Direct account that has been closed, paid off, or written off. First Direct is still obliged to investigate the affordability of the original lending decision and any subsequent limit increases.
Can I claim if I’m still using my First Direct card?
Yes. You can complain about any First Direct card you hold or have held. If the claim succeeds and you still owe money, the refund is normally used to reduce the balance first.
What if my First Direct debt was sold to a debt collector?
If First Direct sold your debt to a third-party collector, you can usually still complain to First Direct about the original lending decision. The complaint is about whether the lending was affordable when it was given, not about who currently owns the debt. If the claim succeeds and there’s still a balance with the debt collector, the redress is typically applied against that balance.
Will making a claim damage my credit file?
Making a complaint about unaffordable lending should not damage your credit file. If your claim is successful, adverse markers linked to the unaffordable lending may be removed, which can improve your file.
Do I have to use a claims company?
No. You’re free to complain directly to First Direct and, if you’re not satisfied with their response, refer the complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service free of charge. Most people we work with prefer to have a specialist claim partner build the case and deal with the lender on their behalf — but the choice is yours. The pros and cons are weighed up in our guide on whether you need a claims company.
Are there any fees if I use Claims Bible?
Claims Bible is an FCA-authorised introducer. We do not charge consumers a fee. If your case is referred to a claim partner and the claim succeeds, the claim partner charges a success fee — a percentage of the redress recovered, in line with the FCA’s fee cap rules. There is no fee if the claim is unsuccessful, and no upfront cost. Full fee details are provided before you sign anything. Read our fees page.
How long does a First Direct claim take?
First Direct has up to eight weeks to issue a final response. If the case goes to the Financial Ombudsman, decisions can take several months depending on complexity and the FOS workload at the time. Our guide on how long an unaffordable lending claim takes has more detail.
Related Guides
- What is unaffordable lending?
- What is “persistent debt” and how it relates to credit card claims
- Were your credit card limit increases unaffordable?
- Do I have an unaffordable lending claim?
- How the Financial Ombudsman handles unaffordable lending complaints
Check If You Could Be Owed Compensation
You may be eligible to complain if a lender gave you credit you couldn’t afford. Start a free check in minutes — no paperwork needed. No win, no fee if you choose to proceed.
