Credit scores vary by agency and there's no single universal number. Here's how each UK agency's scale works, what lenders actually look for, and the most effective ways to improve your score.
Credit scores cause enormous confusion because there isn't one score — there are several, each using a different scale, calculated by different agencies from different data. Here's what each score means in practice.
A score of 700 is excellent with TransUnion, average with Experian, and below par with Equifax. The scores are not directly comparable. Checking your score through a free service (ClearScore uses Equifax; Credit Karma uses TransUnion; Experian has its own app) lets you see what lenders using that agency will see.
Here's the crucial nuance: lenders don't use your credit score as a pass/fail threshold. They use it alongside:
This means a "good" score doesn't guarantee approval, and a "fair" score doesn't guarantee rejection. Two lenders can make opposite decisions from the same credit file.
1. Pay on time, every time. A single missed payment can remain on your file for six years and drop your score significantly. Set up direct debits for minimum payments as a safety net.
2. Keep credit utilisation below 30%. If your credit limit is £5,000, try not to carry a balance above £1,500. Above 50% utilisation is where scores start falling meaningfully.
3. Register to vote. Electoral roll registration is checked by lenders as proof of address. Not being on it is one of the easiest ways to unnecessarily hurt your score.
4. Don't close old accounts. Length of credit history matters. An old, unused credit card with no balance is an asset to your credit file.
5. Space out applications. Each credit application triggers a "hard search" visible to other lenders for 12 months. Multiple hard searches in a short period signals financial stress.
6. Check for errors. Mistakes on credit files are more common than people expect. Check all three agencies for accounts you don't recognise, incorrect addresses, or outdated information — all of which you can dispute.