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If you're paying interest on an existing credit card balance, a 0% balance transfer card allows you to move that debt to a new card where no interest is charged for a set promotional period. This means your monthly repayments go toward reducing the balance itself, rather than servicing interest — as long as you keep up with at least the minimum payment each month and transfer within the specified window.

NatWest offers three cards with balance transfer features, covering a range of needs from short fee-free periods to longer deals with a transfer fee. This article explains how each works and where they sit in the broader market.

Always make sure you can afford repayments.

What is a balance transfer and how does it work?

A balance transfer moves existing credit card debt from one or more cards onto a new card, typically one offering a 0% interest period. Once the debt is transferred, you owe the new card provider rather than the original one.

The key things to understand:

• The 0% period starts from the date the account is opened, not from when the transfer is made. Transfers must usually be completed within a set window (commonly the first three months) to qualify for the promotional rate.

• 0% interest doesn't mean £0 monthly payments. On a balance transfer card charging 0% interest, there is still a required minimum payment due each month. But that payment goes entirely towards paying down the balance (not towards interest charges).

• To keep the 0% rate, at least the minimum monthly payment must be made on time. Missing a payment could result in losing the promotional rate entirely and interest being charged from that point.

• Many cards with longer 0% periods charge a one-off transfer fee — a percentage of the balance moved, paid upfront.

• When the 0% period ends, any remaining balance may be charged at the card’s standard APR.

• Cash withdrawals and money transfers are generally excluded from the 0% rate, and typically attract interest immediately, even during an otherwise active 0% period.

• The 0% lengths on balance transfer cards can vary widely between providers. People with lower credit scores might not get accepted for the longest deals either.

Balance transfer example

If you're paying interest on credit card debt and you shift it to a 0% balance transfer credit card, you won't have to service interest for the duration of the 0% period, provided you make at least the minimum payment each month (though repaying more, where possible, clears the debt faster).

Dividing the balance by the number of months in the 0% period gives the monthly repayment amount needed to clear the debt entirely within that period.

For example, transferring £3,000 of credit card debt to a 0% balance transfer card offering 12 interest-free months would mean monthly payments of £250 to fully clear the balance within the promotional period.

Where more than one debt is being managed, the debt charging the highest interest rate accrues interest fastest for every month it remains outstanding.

NatWest's balance transfer cards

As of September 2026, based on NatWest's own current product pages, NatWest offers three cards with balance transfer features, all requiring applicants to be UK residents aged 18 or over earning at least £10,000 a year. Transfers must be at least £100, up to 95% of the available credit limit, and cannot be from other NatWest Group cards.

NatWest Balance Transfer Credit Card (no fee)

This card offers 0% on balance transfers for up to 11 months, with no balance transfer fee and no annual fee. The representative APR after the promotional period is 24.9% variable, though the purchase and balance transfer rate offered could be as high as 29.9% depending on individual circumstances. This is an "up to" card — the actual 0% period offered may be shorter, ranging between 9 and 11 months. The balance must be transferred within the first three months of account opening.

Representative example: Based on an assumed credit limit of £1,200 and borrowing of £1,200 at a purchase rate of 24.9% p.a. (variable) with no annual fee, the representative APR is 24.9% variable.

NatWest Longer Balance Transfer Credit Card

This card offers 0% on balance transfers for up to 36 months, with a 3.10% transfer fee and no annual fee. The representative APR is 24.9% variable. The actual 0% period offered may be between 16 and 36 months depending on individual credit assessment. The card also offers 0% on purchases for the first three months.

Representative example: Based on an assumed credit limit of £1,200 and borrowing of £1,200 at a purchase rate of 24.9% p.a. (variable) with no annual fee, the representative APR is 24.9% variable.

To illustrate the cost of the transfer fee: on a £5,000 balance, a 3.10% fee amounts to £155. Whether this is outweighed by the interest saved depends on the existing card's rate and how long the balance would otherwise take to clear.

NatWest Purchase & Balance Transfer Card

This card offers 0% on balance transfers for up to 21 months (actual range 12–21 months depending on individual circumstances), and 0% on purchases for up to 23 months (actual range 12–23 months). The balance transfer fee is 3.49%. Purchases also benefit from up to 56 days interest-free if the full balance is cleared each month.

Representative example: Based on an assumed credit limit of £1,200 at a purchase rate of 24.9% p.a. (variable) with no annual fee, the representative APR is 24.9% variable.

How NatWest's cards sit in the broader market

Based on a review of major credit card comparison sites and provider pages as of September 2026, the longest 0% balance transfer period available in the UK is up to 38 months (TSB), with other providers including Barclaycard offering up to 36 months. NatWest's Longer Balance Transfer card sits at the same 36-month level, with a fee of 3.10% — lower than the 3.15% to 3.49% charged by some other cards at that length. This reflects the sources checked and may not capture every card on the market.

The no-fee NatWest card's 9–11 month period avoids the transfer fee entirely, with a shorter window to repay the balance than the longer cards.

Deals across the market can change at any time. Transfer fee, 0% length, and post-promotional APR all vary between cards and providers.

Key things to watch out for

The 0% rate does not usually apply to cash withdrawals or money transfers, which typically attract interest immediately at the standard rate, even during the promotional period.

Applying for a credit card results in a hard search on your credit file. Using an eligibility checker beforehand shows your likelihood of acceptance without affecting your score. Eligibility and acceptance are decided by each lender and depend on its own criteria and checks. Checking your eligibility does not guarantee that you’ll be accepted.

A missed minimum payment may mean the promotional rate is withdrawn. Payment methods vary by card and can include manual payments each month or a direct debit set up when the account is opened. Check the card's terms for the payment methods and deadlines that apply.

If you are struggling with existing debt, free impartial advice is available from StepChange, National Debtline and Citizens Advice.

This article is for general information only and does not constitute financial advice. Card features, rates and eligibility criteria are correct as of September 2026 and subject to change — always check current terms at natwest.com before applying.

To learn more about the market check out our best 0% balance transfer credit cards guide.