There's no single UK credit-score number that guarantees a mortgage. Lenders use the raw data on your credit file to build their own internal model, not the consumer-facing score you see from Experian, Equifax or TransUnion. That said, the agency scores are a useful proxy — and the patterns that produce a "Good" or "Excellent" agency score also produce a strong lender model output.

The three UK credit reference agencies

Agency	Scale	Excellent	Good	Fair	Poor	Very poor
Experian	0–999	961–999	881–960	721–880	561–720	0–560
Equifax	0–1,000	811–1,000	671–810	531–670	439–530	0–438
TransUnion	0–710	628–710	604–627	566–603	551–565	0–550

The scales differ, so comparing absolute numbers between agencies isn't useful. A "Good" score from any of them indicates broadly the same profile: established credit history, no recent missed payments, low utilisation, and no recent applications.

What lenders actually check

Lenders rarely use the consumer agency score directly. They build their own model from the underlying data, weighted toward what predicts default risk in their book. Common factors:

• Payment history (35–40% weight). Have you missed payments in the last 6 years? When? How much?
• Credit utilisation (20–25%). Total used as a percentage of total available. Above 75% is a strong negative; below 25% is positive.
• Length and depth of credit history (15–20%). Older established accounts are more valuable than newer ones. A "thin file" is a real obstacle.
• Mix of credit types (10–15%). Mortgage, loan, credit cards, retail finance — variety helps.
• Recent applications (5–10%). Hard searches in the last 6 months count negatively.
• Public records and serious adverse events. CCJs, defaults, bankruptcies are weighted heavily.

Use the affordability calculator to model your borrowing capacity assuming a clean file, then read the why was my mortgage declined guide for the credit-related decline patterns.

Which agency does my lender use?

Common (but not universal) UK lender-to-agency mapping:

• Experian: HSBC, Santander, Barclays (partial), Nationwide.
• Equifax: Halifax, Lloyds, Bank of Scotland.
• TransUnion: NatWest, RBS, Ulster Bank.
• Multiple: Many lenders pull data from at least two agencies; some pull all three.

Practical implication: a strong score with one agency might still have gaps the others see. Check all three before applying — all are free to view at least once and most offer ongoing free access.

Score ranges and what they mean for mortgage access

Excellent (Experian 961+, Equifax 811+, TransUnion 628+)

Mainstream high-street lenders at the best advertised rates. Standard affordability and stress test still apply, but the score itself isn't a blocker.

Good (Experian 881–960, Equifax 671–810, TransUnion 604–627)

Mainstream lender access remains broad. Some specific products at the sharpest rates may require Excellent — but standard products are available at near-headline rates. Most "Good" applicants face no score-related issues.

Fair (Experian 721–880, Equifax 531–670, TransUnion 566–603)

You can still get a mainstream mortgage at most lenders, but rates may be 0.1–0.3 percentage points above the sharpest headlines. Some lenders' best products will be off-limits. A 15%+ deposit smooths access.

Poor (Experian 561–720, Equifax 439–530, TransUnion 551–565)

Mainstream availability narrows. Specialist lenders become the more reliable route. Rates 0.5–1.0 percentage points above mainstream is typical. A 20%+ deposit and stable employment compensate.

Very poor (below all above thresholds)

Specialist-only territory. Rates 1.0–2.0 percentage points above mainstream. A large deposit (25%+) and a clean recent 12-month track record will usually find a lender willing to lend.

How to improve your score before applying

Quick wins (impact within 4–8 weeks)

• Register on the electoral roll at your current address. Critical for ID verification — a missing electoral roll record is a common easy win.
• Pay down credit cards to under 25% of limit. Utilisation impact updates roughly when your statement closes.
• Correct errors on your credit file. Old defaults that should be removed, wrong addresses, accounts you don't recognise. All three agencies have free dispute processes.
• Close unused recently-opened credit accounts. Reduces apparent open-credit exposure.

Medium-term improvements (3–6 months)

• Pay every bill on time. Direct debits for utilities, council tax, mobile, broadband. Every missed payment matters.
• Use a credit-builder card or low-limit mainstream card lightly and pay in full monthly. Builds positive payment history if you have a thin file.
• Stay at one address. 6+ months at the current address smooths verification.
• Don't open or apply for new credit. Hard searches now will sit on your file for 12 months.

Longer-term work (6–24 months)

• Settle outstanding defaults. Settled defaults look materially better than unsettled defaults.
• Wait for old issues to age off. Missed payments and defaults from 2–3 years ago weigh much less than recent ones.
• Build a multi-product credit history. A credit card plus a personal loan paid off cleanly shows responsible diverse credit use.

How long credit issues stay on your file

Every adverse event on your credit file has a specific lifespan after which it stops affecting lender decisions. The standard UK timelines:

• Missed payments: 6 years from the date of the missed payment. Their impact on lender scoring fades materially after 24 months and substantially after 36 months.
• Defaults: 6 years from the default date. Settled defaults (where the debt has been paid) look materially better than unsettled defaults of the same age.
• County Court Judgments (CCJs): 6 years from the judgment date, regardless of whether paid. Paid CCJs are still preferable — lenders see settlement as positive.
• Bankruptcy: 6 years on the credit file. Specialist mortgage lenders will consider applications 3+ years post-discharge.
• Individual Voluntary Arrangements (IVAs): 6 years from start date.
• Debt Relief Orders (DROs): 6 years.
• Hard credit searches: 12 months on the file. Their score impact fades within 3–6 months.
• Soft searches (incl. your own checks): Only visible to you, not to lenders. Never affect scoring.

Strategic planning: if you have an event coming up to its 6-year anniversary, waiting an extra month or two before applying can move you from specialist-lender territory to mainstream-lender access. The why was my mortgage declined guide covers the impact of each event type on lender decisions.

The relationship between deposit size and credit tolerance

Lenders implicitly trade off deposit size against credit profile risk. A larger deposit reduces the lender's risk per pound lent, so they become more tolerant of credit-file issues. The practical pattern:

• 5% deposit (95% LTV): Mainstream lenders only. Adverse credit virtually rules out high-street lenders; specialists at 95% are rare.
• 10% deposit (90% LTV): Most adverse credit cases need a specialist. A few mainstream lenders accept minor issues.
• 15% deposit (85% LTV): Materially wider lender choice for adverse credit. Specialist rates closer to mainstream.
• 25% deposit (75% LTV): Many specialist lenders accept significant adverse credit. Rate premium over mainstream typically 0.5–1.0 percentage points rather than 1.0–2.0.
• 40%+ deposit (60% LTV): Even severe adverse credit (recent bankruptcy, multiple CCJs) becomes lendable at specialist firms. Rates remain elevated but products exist.

If your credit profile is borderline, increasing the deposit is often the single most effective improvement you can make. Use the deposit calculator to model the LTV bands, and the how long to save guide for the savings timeline implications.

The bank statement check — separate from the credit score

Even with an excellent credit score, lenders will spend underwriting time on your last 3 months of bank statements. They're looking for:

• Consistent salary credits matching the application
• No persistent overdraft use
• No frequent BNPL transactions
• No gambling spend
• No unexplained large credits
• Stable outgoings that match the affordability declaration

A "Good" score with messy bank statements is often declined; a "Fair" score with clean statements often approved. Both halves matter. Run the house buying budget planner to confirm your monthly outgoings are well-organised before applying.

Joint applications — how scores combine

For joint mortgages, lenders typically look at both applicants' credit profiles separately and use the lower of the two as the constraining factor. A strong-credit applicant paired with a weak-credit applicant is usually assessed against the weaker profile, with the stronger profile providing some compensation but not fully offsetting it. Some specialist lenders use a blended assessment, but the conservative approach dominates the mainstream market. Plan around the weaker applicant's situation when assessing readiness.

What a broker can do for credit-borderline applicants

Brokers earn their fees most clearly when credit profiles are borderline or complex. They:

• Know which lenders accept which credit issues without an unnecessary hard search.
• Match your specific profile (missed payment, BNPL history, thin file, defaults) to the lenders most likely to approve.
• Sometimes do a soft "pre-application" check with selected lenders to gauge likelihood before the formal hard search.
• Document gifted deposits and self-employed income in the format underwriters expect.

Procuration-paid brokers don't charge you a fee. Specialist or complex-case brokers typically charge £200–£600 — often worth it for preventing 1–2 wasted hard-search applications.

Frequently asked questions

What credit score do you need for a UK mortgage?

There's no fixed threshold — lenders use their own internal scoring. As a guide, an Experian score of 881+ is generally considered 'Good' and opens up most mainstream products. Equifax 'Good' starts at 671. TransUnion 'Excellent' is 628+.

Do mortgage lenders use Experian, Equifax or TransUnion?

Most major UK lenders pull data from at least one — sometimes all three. Halifax and Lloyds typically use Equifax. NatWest uses TransUnion. HSBC and Santander often use Experian. Lenders don't use the consumer-facing scores directly; they use the raw data to build their own internal credit risk model.

Can I get a mortgage with bad credit?

Yes — through specialist lenders. Many will accept one or two missed payments in the last 12 months, defaults over 24 months ago, or CCJs over 36 months ago. Rates are typically 0.5–1.5 percentage points above mainstream.

How can I improve my credit score before applying?

Register on the electoral roll; pay all bills on time for 6+ months; reduce credit card balances below 25% of limit; correct any errors on your credit file; don't apply for new credit in the 3–6 months before mortgage application.

How long do issues stay on a UK credit file?

Missed payments, defaults, CCJs, bankruptcies and IVAs stay for 6 years from the relevant date. Hard credit searches stay 12 months but their score impact fades within 6.

What's a 'thin' credit file?

A thin file has limited credit history — typically because the applicant hasn't held a credit card, loan, or mortgage. It makes lenders more cautious. Fix: open a basic credit card 6+ months before applying, use it for small purchases, and pay in full every month.

Does checking my own credit score affect it?

No. Checking your own credit file is a 'soft search' and has no effect on your score. You can check your free reports with all three UK agencies as often as you want.

What credit score is 'excellent' in the UK?

Experian: 961–999. Equifax: 811–1000. TransUnion: 628–710. The agencies use different scales so comparing numbers across them isn't useful.

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Last reviewed: 25 May 2026.