What Is a Good Credit Score in the UK?

Last checked: 17 October 2026

If your credit score suddenly looks nothing like you remember, you are not imagining it: two of the UK’s three credit reference agencies have changed their scales. Experian moved from 0 to 999 to 0 to 1,250 in November 2025, and TransUnion is partway through moving from 0 to 710 to 0 to 999, a rollout running into 2027. Only the Equifax 0 to 1,000 scale is unchanged. So “good” now means different numbers depending on where you look. Here are the current bands, in one place.

One warning before the numbers: the score an agency shows you is its own indicator. Lenders do not use that exact number. They take the data on your file and score it themselves, so two lenders can look at the same file and reach different decisions.

Last updated: October 2026. Bands checked against the agencies’ own guides.

What is a good credit score in the UK? All three scales compared

Still seeing a TransUnion score out of 710? That is the old scale, still floating around during the changeover: Excellent 628 to 710, Good 604 to 627, Fair 566 to 603, Poor 551 to 565, Very poor 0 to 550. If your score seems to have halved overnight, check which scale you are looking at before panicking.

Experian: 0 to 1,250

Excellent: 1,121 to 1,250. Very good: 1,001 to 1,120. Good: 861 to 1,000. Fair: 641 to 860. Low: 0 to 640. Source: Experian’s guide to a good credit score. Older articles quoting Experian scores out of 999 are out of date since the November 2025 change.

Equifax: 0 to 1,000

Excellent: 811 to 1,000. Very good: 671 to 810. Good: 531 to 670. Fair: 439 to 530. Poor: 0 to 438. Source: Equifax, what is a credit score?

TransUnion: in transition (0 to 710 to 0 to 999)

TransUnion is switching scales right now, in phases running to June 2027, so you may temporarily see two different TransUnion scores depending on where you check. The new 0 to 999 bands: Excellent 786 to 999, Good 653 to 785, Fair 563 to 652, Low 488 to 562, Very low 0 to 487.

Why your three scores never agree

Each agency holds slightly different data, not every lender reports to all three, and each runs its own maths on its own scale. There is no single “real” UK credit score; there are three opinions. That is also why checking all three files for free matters more than chasing one number.

One person, three scores: a worked example

Say you check all three files on the same day and see Experian 950, Equifax 620 and TransUnion 640. Nothing has gone wrong. On the bands above, 950 at Experian is Good, 620 at Equifax is Good, and 640 at TransUnion is Fair on its new scale, near the top of that band. Same person, same week, three different labels.

The gap comes from the data, not from you. A card provider might report to Experian and Equifax but not TransUnion. A loan might appear on one file a month before it reaches another. Each agency then runs its own scoring model over its own version of your history, on its own scale, so the numbers were never designed to match.

The practical lesson: do not chase one number. Check the underlying files (our credit score ranges guide lists every band boundary), fix anything wrong on each one, and watch the direction of travel. A score edging up on all three files means your history is improving, whichever scale you look at.

What score do you need for a mortgage, card or loan?

There is no official minimum score for any product, because lenders do not lend on the score alone. They see your full file: payment history, balances, searches and public records, and apply their own criteria on top. Two people with the same score can get different decisions. MoneyHelper makes the same point: a good credit score does not guarantee your application will be accepted. In practice, a score in the Good band or above at the agency your lender uses puts you in the mainstream market, a Fair score usually means fewer choices and higher prices, and a Low score points you towards specialist products, such as cards built for bad credit, while you rebuild. Treat the score as a health check: if it is climbing, your file is probably improving; if it drops suddenly, something changed and you should look.

Frequently asked questions

What is a good credit score in the UK?

It depends on the agency: 861 or above at Experian (out of 1,250), 531 or above at Equifax (out of 1,000), or 604 or above at TransUnion on the old 710 scale, 653 or above on its new 999 scale.

Why did my Experian score change?

Experian moved to a 0 to 1,250 scale in November 2025, so numbers look bigger without your file changing. A score of 900, which was near the top of the old 999 scale, now sits in the Good band.

What is the average UK credit score?

There is no single meaningful average, because the three agencies use different scales and different data. Compare your score with the band table above for the agency you are looking at, not with a UK-wide average.

What is a good Experian credit score in the UK?

On Experian’s new scale of 0 to 1,250, a score of 861 to 1,000 is Good and 1,121 to 1,250 is Excellent. Experian scores changed when the scale moved from the old 0 to 999 range, so compare your score only with the new bands.

What is a good credit score for a mortgage?

There is no set minimum. Mortgage lenders assess your whole file, your income and your deposit, not one score. A score in the Good band or above at the agency your lender uses usually keeps you in the mainstream market, while a Fair or Low score tends to mean specialist lenders and higher rates. Check all three files well before you apply, so any errors can be fixed in time.

Is a score from one agency enough?

No. Lenders use different agencies, so a strong Experian score does not guarantee how an Equifax-based lender sees you. Check all three files for free.

Here is how to move your score in the right direction, step by step. If a low score is blocking you today, our Zable credit card review covers one card built for rebuilding credit. Bands checked September to October 2026 against the agencies’ published guides.