The FCA's Consumer Duty came into force on 31 July 2023 for products on sale (and on 31 July 2024 for closed products). It raised questions about 0% interest credit card deals mean for popular 0% interest credit card deals. The rules require firms to deliver "good outcomes" for customers, avoid foreseeable harm, and demonstrate fair value — standards that some worried 0% products, which profit partly from customers missing repayment deadlines, might struggle to meet.

0% deals are still widely available. According to Moneyfacts, the average 0% balance transfer period was 605 days (just under 20 months) in June 2026, up from 536 days (~17.5 months) a year earlier.

What Consumer Duty actually changed

Consumer Duty didn't ban or restrict 0% deals directly. Instead, it pushed firms to reassess pricing, communication, and account structures more broadly.

Because the FCA leaves firms to interpret what counts as a "good outcome" in their own context, responses have varied. Some banks concluded that limiting products to online-only channels wasn't compatible with good outcomes for all customers; others have focused more narrowly on pricing and fee transparency.

The specific concern around 0% credit cards

The consumer group Fairer Finance was among those that raised concerns about credit cards under the new rules. In its review six months after Consumer Duty took effect, published in January 2024, it said that 'many existing credit card business models rely on bad customer outcomes for their profitability', and that 'there is doubt over whether credit card firms can prove that they offer fair value to all their customers'. It also said credit cards 'do far too many things, are far too complex, and are far too expensive'.

These comments point to the underlying tension for 0% deals specifically: they depend, in part, on some customers missing the promotional deadline and reverting to a much higher standard rate.

What's happened since

Rather than disappearing, 0% deals have adapted. When we checked TSB's website on 12 October 2026, its Platinum Balance Transfer Card offered 0% on balance transfers for up to 38 months (3.49% fee), and its Platinum Purchase Card offered 0% on purchases for up to 26 months. Both are Representative 24.9% APR variable, based on a £1,200 credit limit. 'Up to' means some applicants may be offered a shorter period. Comparison tables in August 2026 showed fees on the longest balance transfer deals of between 3.10% and 3.49%. These figures reflect the providers listed there and may not capture the whole market. They change often, so check current terms with each provider. 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.

Consumer Duty requires firms to keep assessing whether their products offer fair value. So far, 0% deals remain widely available, but not everyone who applies is accepted.