Poorer households that once relied on door-to-door lending companies for credit are increasingly able to access mainstream credit cards, Provident Financial said today.

The Bradford company said higher incomes and efforts by the main credit card firms to target less well-off families was taking its toll on its UK business.

Provident, which today announced a seven per cent rise in pre-tax profits to £220.7m, is reacting to the changing environment by rolling out its own credit card for people with small credit limits and focusing on more profitable international markets.

A market test of the new credit card - under the Vanquis Bank brand - provided "clear evidence of a profitable market opportunity" the company said today. The range of cards includes those with a credit limit starting at £150, cards which have no penalty charges but have a higher APR, and cards which require a larger minimum repayment.

Finance director John Harnett - who insisted the UK division had performed better than expected - said the cards were different from those on offer elsewhere and the firm made special effort to make personal contact with customers.

Provident is now to actively market the product to its existing customers and expects to sign up around 250,000 by next year.

But while UK customers are turning away from the traditional door-to-door lending offer, the international business has continued to soar.

Customer numbers in Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia increased by 25 per cent to 1.6m - more than in the UK market. A pilot programme in Mexico has proved successful and is being rolled out and there are plans afoot to expand into another, as yet unnamed, country.

However, there was bad news for the firm's Yes Car Credit division with Mr Harnett admitting performance had been "well below expectations", especially during the second half of the year.

The division's image won't be helped by a BBC1 investigation being screened tonight which is expected to highlight cases of inappropriate sales practices .

Mr Harnett said: "We have already made a lot of changes since the programme was made last year, including changes to our sales practices.

"However, if customers have specific problems then we want them to get in touch with us."

The company declared an increased dividend of 34.4p, up 4.23 per cent.