How long does it take to improve a credit score in the UK?

Most credit score improvements take between one and six months to appear, depending on what is holding your score down. Registering on the electoral roll can improve your score within 30 days. Paying down credit card balances updates within one billing cycle (30–45 days). Addressing missed payments takes longer — defaults and CCJs remain on your file for six years, but their impact diminishes over time, especially after two to three years of clean payment history.

Does checking my credit score lower it?

No. Checking your own credit report is a soft search and does not affect your score in any way. Only hard searches — initiated by a lender when you apply for credit — can temporarily lower your score, typically by a small amount for 3–6 months. You can check your Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion report as often as you like without any negative impact.

What credit utilisation rate is best for my score?

Keep your credit utilisation below 30% of your total available credit limit across all revolving credit (credit cards, overdrafts, credit lines). For example, if your combined credit limit is £10,000, aim to keep balances below £3,000. Ideally, keep utilisation below 10% for the best possible score. Very high utilisation (above 75%) is one of the strongest negative signals to lenders.

Does closing old credit cards improve my credit score?

Closing old credit cards can sometimes harm your score by reducing your total available credit limit (increasing your utilisation percentage) and shortening your average account age. However, if an account has high fees or you are struggling with overspending, closing it may be worthwhile overall. Do not close your oldest account if it has a positive history, as length of credit history is a positive factor.

How does a joint account or financial association affect my credit score?

When you open a joint financial product (joint mortgage, joint bank account with an overdraft), you become financially associated with the other person. Their credit history can then be seen by lenders assessing you. If your financial associate has a poor credit history, this can negatively affect your applications. You can apply to the credit reference agencies to remove a financial association if the joint account is closed and all debts are settled.

What is a credit builder credit card and should I get one?

A credit builder card is a credit card designed for people with limited or poor credit history. They typically have low credit limits (£200–£1,500) and higher interest rates (29.9%–49.9% APR). Used correctly — spending a small amount each month and paying the full balance by direct debit — they demonstrate responsible credit management and build your score over 6–12 months. Always pay in full to avoid paying high interest charges.

Can errors on my credit report be removed?

Yes. Under GDPR and the Consumer Credit Act, you have the right to dispute inaccurate information on your credit file. Contact the credit reference agency (Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion) directly, or the lender responsible for the entry. Agencies must investigate disputes within 28 days. You can also add a Notice of Correction (up to 200 words) explaining any entries you dispute, which lenders must consider.

Do payday loans hurt my credit score?

Payday loan usage is visible to all lenders and many mortgage lenders view it negatively, even if you repaid on time. Some mortgage lenders will refuse applications entirely if there is payday loan activity in the previous 12–24 months. If you have used payday loans, focus on building a clean payment record and wait at least 12 months — ideally 24 months — before applying for a mortgage.

How to Improve Your Credit Score UK 2025

Last updated: February 2026 | Author: Mustafa Bilgic (MB)

12 expert tips • Covers Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion scoring • Updated for 2025

What Is a Credit Score in the UK?

A credit score is a numerical representation of your creditworthiness — how likely lenders believe you are to repay borrowed money on time. In the UK, there are three main credit reference agencies (CRAs), each with their own scoring model and scale:

Agency	Score Range	Good Score	Excellent Score
Experian	0 – 999	881 – 960	961 – 999
Equifax	0 – 1,000	531 – 670	811 – 1,000
TransUnion	0 – 710	566 – 603	628 – 710

Each CRA holds data reported by lenders, utility companies, and public records such as the electoral roll. Because different lenders report to different agencies, your score can vary significantly between the three. Lenders may check one, two, or all three agencies when you apply for credit — they do not have to tell you which.

Your credit score affects whether you are approved for a mortgage, credit card, personal loan, car finance, or even some mobile phone contracts. A higher score generally means better interest rates and higher credit limits.

You can check your score for free at: Experian (free via Experian account), Equifax (free via ClearScore), and TransUnion (free via Credit Karma or Checkmyfile).

What Affects Your UK Credit Score?

While each CRA uses a slightly different algorithm, the underlying factors are broadly consistent with the FICO model widely used in financial research:

Payment History35%

Every on-time payment strengthens your file. Missed payments, defaults, CCJs, and bankruptcies have the most severe impact.

Amounts Owed (Credit Utilisation)30%

How much of your available revolving credit you are using. Below 30% is recommended; below 10% is optimal.

Length of Credit History15%

Older accounts demonstrate a longer track record. Avoid closing your oldest credit accounts.

Credit Mix10%

Having a mix of credit types (credit cards, loans, mortgage) shows you can manage different products responsibly.

New Credit Applications10%

Each hard search for new credit temporarily lowers your score. Multiple applications in a short period signal financial stress.

12 Expert Tips to Improve Your Credit Score in 2025

Register on the Electoral Roll

This is the single fastest, most impactful action you can take. Being registered at your current address on the electoral roll confirms your identity and address to lenders. If you are not registered, many lenders will decline your application outright. Register at gov.uk/register-to-vote — takes five minutes and can improve your score within 30 days. If you cannot register for political reasons, you can add a Notice of Correction to your credit file explaining this.

Keep Credit Utilisation Below 30%

Credit utilisation measures what percentage of your revolving credit limits you are using. If your combined credit card limits total £5,000 and you owe £2,000, your utilisation is 40% — which is too high. Pay down balances to below 30% of each card's limit, and ideally below 10% overall. You can also request a credit limit increase (without spending more) to reduce utilisation — but only do this using a soft-search eligibility checker to avoid a hard search.

Set Up Direct Debits for Minimum Payments

Payment history accounts for around 35% of your score. A single missed payment can drop your score by 50–150 points and remain on your file for six years. Set up a direct debit for at least the minimum payment on every credit account so you never miss a due date. Ideally, set up the direct debit for the full balance each month to avoid interest charges and demonstrate perfect payment behaviour.

Check for Errors on Your Credit Report

Errors are more common than most people realise. A 2023 Which? investigation found that around one in three credit reports contained at least one error. Check your file with all three agencies (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion) — they hold different data and errors on one may not appear on others. Common errors include: fraudulent accounts you did not open, accounts showing as defaulted when they were closed, incorrect addresses linking you to someone else, and payments marked as missed when they were made.

Build History with a Credit Builder Card

If you have little or no credit history, or a poor history, a credit builder credit card can help establish a positive track record. Use it for small, regular purchases (petrol, weekly shopping) and pay the full balance by direct debit each month. Within 6–12 months of perfect payments, most people see a material improvement. Popular UK options include Vanquis, Aqua, Marbles, and Capital One — always compare APRs and check eligibility with a soft search first.

Space Out Credit Applications

Every time you formally apply for credit (mortgage, credit card, loan, overdraft, car finance), the lender runs a hard search on your file. Hard searches are visible to other lenders for 12 months and each one can slightly reduce your score. Lenders may interpret multiple applications within a short period as a sign of financial desperation. Space out applications by at least three to six months, and always use eligibility checkers (soft searches) before formally applying anywhere.

Consider Experian Boost

Experian Boost is a free service that allows you to share data from your bank account — such as regular payments to streaming services (Netflix, Spotify), council tax, and savings contributions — directly with Experian. These payments are not traditionally reported to CRAs, but Boost allows them to count positively. On average, users see their Experian score increase by 101 points. The data is used only by Experian and only for Boost purposes.

Remove Outdated Financial Associations

If you previously had a joint account, joint mortgage, or joint loan with someone — even an ex-partner — their credit history may still be linked to yours. This is called a financial association. If the shared account is now closed and any joint debt settled, you can apply to each CRA for a Notice of Disassociation. This removes the link so that the other person's credit history no longer influences your score. You will need to apply separately to Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion.

Do Not Close Your Oldest Accounts

The age of your credit accounts contributes to your score. Closing an old account — even one you do not use — reduces your average account age and can also reduce your total available credit (increasing utilisation). If an old card has no annual fee, keep it open and make one small purchase every six months to keep it active. This maintains the account age and credit limit without requiring any significant spending.

Pay Down Instalment Loans Consistently

Credit mix — having both revolving credit (cards) and instalment credit (loans, mortgages) — is a positive factor. Making consistent, on-time payments on a personal loan or car finance demonstrates you can manage different credit types responsibly. Never skip a payment. If you are struggling, contact your lender before missing a payment — most offer payment holidays or restructured repayments that are less damaging than a formal default or CCJ.

Use Rent Reporting Services

Rental payments are not automatically reported to credit reference agencies in the UK, even though they are often the largest regular payment people make. Services such as CreditLadder (free, Experian), Canopy (free tier available, TransUnion), and Rental Exchange (Experian via some social landlords) report your on-time rent payments to CRAs. If you are renting, signing up for one of these services can meaningfully improve your score over 3–6 months.

Add a Notice of Correction

If there is accurate but misleading information on your credit file — such as a default caused by a billing dispute that was later resolved in your favour, or a missed payment during a period of serious illness — you can add a Notice of Correction. This is a statement of up to 200 words that any lender searching your file must consider. It will not remove the entry, but it provides context that can influence a lender's decision, particularly for manual underwriting.

How Long Does It Take to Improve a Credit Score?

The timeline for credit score improvement depends on what is holding your score back:

Action	Time to See Improvement
Register on electoral roll	30 days
Pay down credit card balances	1–2 billing cycles (30–60 days)
Dispute and remove credit report errors	28 days (statutory investigation period)
Set up direct debits, make first clean payments	1–3 months
Credit builder card — meaningful improvement	6–12 months
Recover from multiple missed payments	12–24 months
Default or CCJ — impact reduces significantly	2–3 years
Default or CCJ — removed from file	6 years from date of default
Bankruptcy — removed from file	6 years from discharge date

Key insight: Even with a default or CCJ on your file, you can significantly improve your mortgage eligibility by building a clean payment record over 24+ months after the event. Many specialist mortgage lenders will consider applications with historic adverse credit, especially for issues that are over two years old.

Credit Scores and Mortgage Applications

Your credit score is one of many factors in a mortgage application. Lenders also consider income, employment status, deposit size, and outgoings. However, a low credit score can result in higher interest rates (pricing for risk) or outright refusal. Here is what to expect at different score levels:

Excellent score: Access to the best rates from high street lenders. 60% LTV products available if deposit is sufficient.
Good score: Good access to mainstream lenders. Minor rate premium possible at higher LTVs.
Fair score: Some high street lenders may decline. Specialist lenders or building societies more likely to approve with higher rates.
Poor score: High street lenders will typically decline. Adverse credit specialist lenders available at significantly higher rates (2–4% above best deals). Larger deposit (25%+) helps.
Very poor/no history: Mainstream lenders unlikely to approve. Focus on building credit history for 12–24 months before applying.