Credit score
A credit score is a number produced by a credit reference agency to summarise how risky you look as a borrower.
Also known as: credit scores, credit rating, credit ratings
There is no single UK score. Experian, Equifax and TransUnion each use their own scale and bands, so your score can differ between them. Lenders do not just use these numbers: they look at your credit report and apply their own rules.
Paying on time, keeping balances low and being on the electoral roll all help. Checking your own score is a soft search and does not harm it.
You can check your credit reports for free, and you should never need to pay for a credit score or report.
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How Credit Scores Work in the UK
How UK credit scores work: what the credit reference agencies record, what affects your score, why scores differ between agencies and what lenders actually see.
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Practical steps to improve your credit score in the UK: pay on time, check your reports, register to vote, keep balances low and avoid credit repair scams.
9 min readReadThis page provides general information only. It is not personalised financial, legal or tax advice, and rules and figures can change. Your situation is unique — please check official sources such as GOV.UK and MoneyHelper, and speak to a qualified, FCA-authorised adviser before making important decisions about your money.