Your Credit Rating
What it is, why it matters, and exactly how to improve it before you apply for a mortgage.
Reviewed and signed off by Patricia Ogunfeibo
Solicitor and Chartered Tax Adviser, both non-practising. UK property since 1986.
Last reviewed
- Applies to:
- England
- Last reviewed:
- Next review:
- October 2026
Checked against GOV.UK, FCA and professional regulators, lender and industry sources. Sources are listed at the end of this guide.
Scheme and lender rules can change. How we label evidence.
Prefer to listen? This guide is available as audio, roughly 12 minutes of listening.
Executive Summary
If you've ever been told your credit score isn't good enough, or you've been putting off checking it because you're worried about what you'll find, this guide is for you.
The truth is: understanding your credit score is one of the most powerful things you can do on your journey to homeownership. A higher score doesn't just unlock more mortgage options, it can save you thousands of pounds over the life of your loan.
And the good news? You can check it right now, for free, without it affecting your score at all.
**A note for buyers of any age:** credit is a gate, not a lever. Passing it does not create affordability, but failing it removes options. Fix errors, register on the electoral roll, and keep utilities and phone contracts in your own name so your file has recent, positive activity.
What Is a Credit Score?
A credit score is a three-digit number that gives you an indication of how a lender might view your creditworthiness, based on your financial history. The higher the number, the lower the perceived risk, and generally, the better the mortgage deals you'll be offered.
Your score is calculated by three independent organisations called credit reference agencies (CRAs). Each holds slightly different data and uses a different scale, which is why your score will vary depending on where you check it. This is completely normal.
Important to know
Lenders don't actually use the score you see on screen. They access your full credit report and create their own internal score based on their specific criteria. The score you see from a CRA is a useful health indicator for you, not the exact number lenders are working from.
| Agency | Score Range | Free Check Via | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Experian | 0 to 1,250 | Experian app / MSE Credit Club | New range from Nov 2025 (was 0 to 999). Used by most major lenders. |
| Equifax | 0 to 1,000 | ClearScore (free, always) | Changed from 0 to 700 in 2021. Widely used by high-street banks. |
| TransUnion | 0 to 710 | Credit Karma (free, always) | Increasingly used by newer lenders and fintechs. |
Experian Score Change
You don't need a perfect score with all three. But it's worth checking each, since different lenders use different agencies and errors can appear on one report but not others.
Experian score change (November 2025)
Experian expanded its score range from 0 to 999 to 0 to 1,250 in November 2025. Many people saw their band change as a result, but this does not affect your actual creditworthiness or mortgage eligibility. The underlying data lenders use has not changed. You may also still see the old 0 to 999 score in some banking apps for a while as only the Experian app shows the updated score.
Why Your Credit Score Matters for Mortgages
- Whether to lend to you at all
- What interest rate to offer you
The difference between a good and excellent credit score can mean the difference between being offered a 5% mortgage rate and a 4% one.
Key insight
A higher credit score doesn't guarantee the lowest rate as your deposit size, income, employment history, and overall financial picture all matter too. But your credit history is often the first filter lenders apply, so it's worth getting right before you apply.
What Affects Your Credit Score?
On-time payments:
Payment history is the single biggest factor. Missing a payment, even by a few days, can stay on your record for up to six years. Set up direct debits so it can't happen by accident.
Credit utilisation:
How much of your available credit limit you're using. Aim to use less than 25% of any credit card or overdraft limit. If you have a £1,000 limit, try to keep the balance under £250. Going above 50% starts to hurt your score noticeably.
Electoral register:
Being on the electoral roll at your current address. This is the quickest win available. Lenders use it to verify your identity. If you're not registered, register at gov.uk/register-to-vote and it only takes five minutes and can improve your score within a month.
Hard searches:
Every application for credit leaves a visible mark. Applying for multiple loans, cards, or finance deals in a short period can signal financial difficulty to lenders. Space applications out, and use eligibility checkers (which use soft searches) before formally applying.
Length of credit history:
A longer track record generally works in your favour. If you have old credit cards you rarely use and aren't paying fees on, keeping them open can help your score by lengthening your credit history and increasing your available credit limit.
Rental payments (new):
Your rent payments can now count, but you may need to opt in. Experian now includes rental payments in its scoring model. If your landlord doesn't automatically report to Experian, you can register your payments yourself through services such as CreditLadder, Canopy, or Experian Boost. For tenants on the path to homeownership, this is a significant opportunity to build your score using payments you're already making.
Negative markers:
CCJs, defaults, IVAs, or bankruptcy. These are the most damaging entries and most stay on your file for six years. If you have any, a specialist mortgage broker can still help you explore your options as there are lenders who specialise in adverse credit.
How to Check Your Score for Free
- Experian: experian.co.uk: sign up for a free account, or use MSE Credit Club for a free full Experian report.
- Equifax: clearscore.com: shows your Equifax data, free forever, updated weekly.
- TransUnion: creditkarma.co.uk: shows your TransUnion data, free forever, updated daily.
Check all three before approaching any lenders. Errors do appear and you have the legal right to dispute and correct them. Even small errors can drag your score down unnecessarily.
Best single view: Checkmyfile
Checkmyfile (checkmyfile.com) shows your data from all three agencies side by side in one report. It offers a free 30-day trial, then £14.99 a month. You can cancel anytime. Well worth using before you start talking to mortgage lenders.
How to Improve Your Score
- 1. Electoral roll: Register to vote at your current address (gov.uk/register-to-vote). Takes five minutes.
- 2. Never miss a payment: Set up direct debits for all bills, even the minimum payment so you never miss one.
- 3. Lower your utilisation: Keep credit card balances below 25% of your limit, or pay them off in full each month.
- 4. Avoid new credit applications: Don't apply for any new credit in the six months before your mortgage application.
- 5. Dispute errors: Review your reports at all three agencies and raise disputes for any errors you find.
- 6. Build history if needed: If you have no credit history, a credit-builder card used carefully (and paid off in full monthly) can help establish a track record.
- 7. Experian Boost: Sign up to Experian Boost as it lets you add Council Tax, savings, and regular subscriptions to your Experian score for free.
- 8. Report your rent: Register your rent payments via CreditLadder, Canopy, or Experian Boost to make your largest monthly outgoing count in your favour.
Myths vs Facts
MYTH
Checking your credit score lowers it.
FACT
Checking your own score is a 'soft search', invisible to lenders and completely harmless. Only applications for credit (like a loan or credit card) create 'hard searches' that temporarily affect your score.
MYTH
You need a perfect score to get a mortgage.
FACT
There is no single industry-wide minimum credit score for a UK mortgage, and each lender sets its own criteria. Many lenders will consider applications with fair or even poor scores, though the rates may be higher and you may need a larger deposit. A specialist broker can help.
MYTH
Your partner's bad credit affects yours just by being married.
FACT
Credit files are individual. Marriage alone does not link your scores. You only become 'financially associated', and therefore affect each other's scores, if you take out a joint financial product, such as a joint bank account or joint mortgage.
MYTH
There is one universal credit score that all lenders see.
FACT
Every CRA uses different data and different scales. Lenders also create their own internal scores when you apply. The number you see on Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion is a useful indicator, not the number lenders are working from.
MYTH
Closing old credit cards will improve your score.
FACT
It often does the opposite. Closing an account reduces your total available credit, which can increase your utilisation ratio and shorten your credit history, both of which can lower your score. Only close accounts that carry a fee.
Action Checklist
Where this comes from
Each source is labelled so you can tell a government rule from market practice, and both from our own view. Read our evidence standard.
- Market practiceExperian, what is a credit score
- Government ruleGOV.UK, register to vote (electoral roll)
- Regulatory ruleFCA, Consumer Duty
- Our guidancetenant2owner editorial standards and our own interpretation
Your next steps
You do not need to read everything. Based on this guide, these are the useful next moves.
1. Do this now
Readiness CheckAround 90 seconds. See how close you are and what to fix first.
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