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Car finance ›
What is the average credit score in the UK?
Updated: Tuesday, 2 January 2024
Our credit scores impact so many different aspects of our lives each and every day. Everything from taking out a mortgage and buying a car on finance to using a credit or store card may be recorded on your credit file, which can affect your credit score.
But how does your own credit score compare to the scores of others? Find out how your financial health stacks up against the rest of the nations in this guide showing the average credit scores in the UK.
Average credit scores in the UK
Since there are so many different factors that affect a person’s credit score, it’s difficult to provide just one average credit score.
The UK locations with the lowest average credit scores
In the UK, the main three credit reference agencies (CRAs) are Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. You might have a slightly different credit score with each CRA so you might want to check your score with each to get a full understanding of your credit file.
Credit score averages change all the time. As of June 2023, these are the UK locations with the lowest credit scores, according to Experian:
- Kingston-Upon-Hull – 702
- Blaenau Gwent – 707
- Blackpool – 713
- Merthyr Tydfil – 712
- Middlesbrough – 713
- Northeast Lincolnshire – 717
- Knowsley – 728
- Hartlepool – 728
- North Ayrshire – 743
- St. Helens – 751
The UK locations with the highest average credit scores
At the other end of the spectrum, the UK locations with the highest credit scores according to Experian are:
- City of London – 893
- Isles of Scilly – 886
- Wokingham – 880
- Chiltern – 879
- Elmbridge – 872
- Hart – 872
- Waverley – 871
- St Albans – 871
- South Cambridgeshire – 869
- Brentwood – 850
You can find the average credit score for your region using Experian’s interactive online tool.
Average credit scores in the UK by age group
The average credit score in the UK tends to increase with age, as someone with a more mature credit age might have more evidence that they can manage credit responsibly, according to Checkmyfile.
Statistics shared by Finder show how credit score averages change by age group.
- 18-25 years: 447
- 25-34 years: 539
- 35-44 years: 637
- 45-54 years: 718
- 55-64 years: 781
- 65+ years: 839
Credit score bands explained
Each of the UK’s main credit reference agencies uses its own credit scoring system to calculate your credit score, and each has its own rating scale that is split into different bands.
Experian credit scores range from 0-999 and are split into the following bands:
- Very poor: 0-560
- Poor: 561-720
- Fair: 721-880
- Good: 881-960
- Excellent: 961-999
Equifax credit scores range from 0-1000 and are split into the following bands:
- Poor: 0-438
- Fair: 439-530
- Good: 531-670
- Very good: 671-810
- Excellent: 811-1000
TransUnion credit scores range from 0-710 and are split into the following bands:
- Very poor: 0-550
- Poor: 551-565
- Fair: 566-603
- Good: 604-627
- Excellent: 628-710
There are also independent companies that offer credit report services. They provide free credit reports using the data gathered by a particular credit reference agency. In the UK, the main providers include ClearScore and Credit Karma.
Your ClearScore credit score is generated using Equifax data. ClearScore uses the same 0-1000 rating scale but refers to its range bands differently.
The ClearScore credit ranges are:
- Let’s start climbing: 0-409
- Moving on up: 410-519
- On good ground: 520-604
- Looking bright: 605-724
- Soaring high: 725-1000
Your Credit Karma credit score is generated using TransUnion data. Credit Karma uses the same scoring ranges as TransUnion, just with different labels.
The Credit Karma credit ranges are:
- Needs work: 0-565
- Fair: 566-603
- Good: 604-627
- Excellent: 628-710
What are your options if you have a below-average credit score?
Generally speaking, you are likely to find applying for a loan or credit card easier if you have a higher score. This is because a good credit score indicates that you may be a more reliable borrower. Because of this, you may be offered higher credit limits or a slightly better interest rate.
It’s important to know that credit score isn’t the only factor that a lender considers. When you make a finance application, a lender may use a credit check to look at your financial circumstances. They will also consider your income, address history, and may also look at your credit file to decide whether to offer you finance.
If your credit report shows little credit history or a credit score below the average for your age group or location, you might want to explore how to improve your credit score.
That being said, even if you do have a lower credit score (i.e. a ‘poor’ or ‘bad’ credit score) or no credit history, there are still ways to get credit.
If you’re looking for vehicle finance, you may need to use a specialist direct lender like Moneybarn. We help thousands of people up and down the UK get the bad credit car finance they need. We’re proud to have over 30 years of experience helping people with no credit history, poor credit scores, and who have been refused credit by mainstream lenders.
Representative 30.7% APR.
Try out our online car finance calculator to see how much your monthly repayments might be based on the amount you want to borrow.
FAQs about credit scores
How does my credit score compare to the national average?
You can check your credit score by signing up on any of the CRA websites listed in the above blog. To get an accurate representation of how your credit score compares to the others in the UK, look at the average score within each of the three main credit reference agencies along with the averages of your age group and location.
Why is my credit score important?
Having a high credit score may help you get access to credit. If you have a good credit score, it usually means you have solid evidence of managing credit responsibly and repaying it on time. This may mean that it is easier to get approved for finance or a loan, and might result in a better APR.
If you have a bad credit score, you might find it more difficult to get approved by mainstream lenders. Depending on your situation, you may have to use a specialist lender that accepts people with bad credit.
Learn more about credit scores with help from our guide – what is a credit score?
Does doing my credit report impact my credit score?
No, checking your credit report does not have a negative effect on your credit score. When you check your credit report you only trigger a soft search, which can only be seen by you, and it won’t affect your ability to take out finance. Learn more about the differences between soft credit searches and hard credit searches in our guide.
What is a good credit score?
A good credit score is a credit score that sits within a credit reference agency’s ‘good’ band. In more general terms, good scores are also those that are high enough to mean you are eligible for loans or finance on better repayment terms.
How can I improve my credit score?
There are some things you can do that may improve your score from a ‘bad’ or ‘fair’ score to ‘good’ or ‘very good’. It’s important to know that your credit score is calculated from lots of different factors, so what works for one person might not work for another.
Some factors that affect your credit score include:
- How much credit you have
- Your credit utilisation (how much of the credit available you are using)
- Any missed or late payments
- Age of your credit accounts
To improve your credit score, you could check your credit file. Some services such as Credit Karma give you hints tailored to your specific circumstances. Following these may help build your credit score, but remember, improving your score isn’t a quick thing so don’t expect it to change overnight.
Other things you could do to improve your credit score, include:
- lowering your credit utilisation
- ensuring you’re on the electoral roll at your current address
- only borrowing what you can afford to repay
- paying bills on time and in full
- never exceeding your credit limit.
For more information, read our full guide on how to improve your credit score to see if there are any other things you could do.
Our credit scores impact so many different aspects of our lives each and every day. Everything from taking out a mortgage and buying a car on finance to using a credit or store card may be recorded on your credit file, which can affect your credit score.
But how does your own credit score compare to the scores of others? Find out how your financial health stacks up against the rest of the nations in this guide showing the average credit scores in the UK.
Average credit scores in the UK
Since there are so many different factors that affect a person’s credit score, it’s difficult to provide just one average credit score.
The UK locations with the lowest average credit scores
In the UK, the main three credit reference agencies (CRAs) are Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. You might have a slightly different credit score with each CRA so you might want to check your score with each to get a full understanding of your credit file.
Credit score averages change all the time. As of June 2023, these are the UK locations with the lowest credit scores, according to Experian:
- Kingston-Upon-Hull – 702
- Blaenau Gwent – 707
- Blackpool – 713
- Merthyr Tydfil – 712
- Middlesbrough – 713
- Northeast Lincolnshire – 717
- Knowsley – 728
- Hartlepool – 728
- North Ayrshire – 743
- St. Helens – 751
The UK locations with the highest average credit scores
At the other end of the spectrum, the UK locations with the highest credit scores according to Experian are:
- City of London – 893
- Isles of Scilly – 886
- Wokingham – 880
- Chiltern – 879
- Elmbridge – 872
- Hart – 872
- Waverley – 871
- St Albans – 871
- South Cambridgeshire – 869
- Brentwood – 850
You can find the average credit score for your region using Experian’s interactive online tool.
Average credit scores in the UK by age group
The average credit score in the UK tends to increase with age, as someone with a more mature credit age might have more evidence that they can manage credit responsibly, according to Checkmyfile.
Statistics shared by Finder show how credit score averages change by age group.
- 18-25 years: 447
- 25-34 years: 539
- 35-44 years: 637
- 45-54 years: 718
- 55-64 years: 781
- 65+ years: 839
Credit score bands explained
Each of the UK’s main credit reference agencies uses its own credit scoring system to calculate your credit score, and each has its own rating scale that is split into different bands.
Experian credit scores range from 0-999 and are split into the following bands:
- Very poor: 0-560
- Poor: 561-720
- Fair: 721-880
- Good: 881-960
- Excellent: 961-999
Equifax credit scores range from 0-1000 and are split into the following bands:
- Poor: 0-438
- Fair: 439-530
- Good: 531-670
- Very good: 671-810
- Excellent: 811-1000
TransUnion credit scores range from 0-710 and are split into the following bands:
- Very poor: 0-550
- Poor: 551-565
- Fair: 566-603
- Good: 604-627
- Excellent: 628-710
There are also independent companies that offer credit report services. They provide free credit reports using the data gathered by a particular credit reference agency. In the UK, the main providers include ClearScore and Credit Karma.
Your ClearScore credit score is generated using Equifax data. ClearScore uses the same 0-1000 rating scale but refers to its range bands differently.
The ClearScore credit ranges are:
- Let’s start climbing: 0-409
- Moving on up: 410-519
- On good ground: 520-604
- Looking bright: 605-724
- Soaring high: 725-1000
Your Credit Karma credit score is generated using TransUnion data. Credit Karma uses the same scoring ranges as TransUnion, just with different labels.
The Credit Karma credit ranges are:
- Needs work: 0-565
- Fair: 566-603
- Good: 604-627
- Excellent: 628-710
What are your options if you have a below-average credit score?
Generally speaking, you are likely to find applying for a loan or credit card easier if you have a higher score. This is because a good credit score indicates that you may be a more reliable borrower. Because of this, you may be offered higher credit limits or a slightly better interest rate.
It’s important to know that credit score isn’t the only factor that a lender considers. When you make a finance application, a lender may use a credit check to look at your financial circumstances. They will also consider your income, address history, and may also look at your credit file to decide whether to offer you finance.
If your credit report shows little credit history or a credit score below the average for your age group or location, you might want to explore how to improve your credit score.
That being said, even if you do have a lower credit score (i.e. a ‘poor’ or ‘bad’ credit score) or no credit history, there are still ways to get credit.
If you’re looking for vehicle finance, you may need to use a specialist direct lender like Moneybarn. We help thousands of people up and down the UK get the bad credit car finance they need. We’re proud to have over 30 years of experience helping people with no credit history, poor credit scores, and who have been refused credit by mainstream lenders.
Representative 30.7% APR.
Try out our online car finance calculator to see how much your monthly repayments might be based on the amount you want to borrow.
FAQs about credit scores
How does my credit score compare to the national average?
You can check your credit score by signing up on any of the CRA websites listed in the above blog. To get an accurate representation of how your credit score compares to the others in the UK, look at the average score within each of the three main credit reference agencies along with the averages of your age group and location.
Why is my credit score important?
Having a high credit score may help you get access to credit. If you have a good credit score, it usually means you have solid evidence of managing credit responsibly and repaying it on time. This may mean that it is easier to get approved for finance or a loan, and might result in a better APR.
If you have a bad credit score, you might find it more difficult to get approved by mainstream lenders. Depending on your situation, you may have to use a specialist lender that accepts people with bad credit.
Learn more about credit scores with help from our guide – what is a credit score?
Does doing my credit report impact my credit score?
No, checking your credit report does not have a negative effect on your credit score. When you check your credit report you only trigger a soft search, which can only be seen by you, and it won’t affect your ability to take out finance. Learn more about the differences between soft credit searches and hard credit searches in our guide.
What is a good credit score?
A good credit score is a credit score that sits within a credit reference agency’s ‘good’ band. In more general terms, good scores are also those that are high enough to mean you are eligible for loans or finance on better repayment terms.
How can I improve my credit score?
There are some things you can do that may improve your score from a ‘bad’ or ‘fair’ score to ‘good’ or ‘very good’. It’s important to know that your credit score is calculated from lots of different factors, so what works for one person might not work for another.
Some factors that affect your credit score include:
- How much credit you have
- Your credit utilisation (how much of the credit available you are using)
- Any missed or late payments
- Age of your credit accounts
To improve your credit score, you could check your credit file. Some services such as Credit Karma give you hints tailored to your specific circumstances. Following these may help build your credit score, but remember, improving your score isn’t a quick thing so don’t expect it to change overnight.
Other things you could do to improve your credit score, include:
- lowering your credit utilisation
- ensuring you’re on the electoral roll at your current address
- only borrowing what you can afford to repay
- paying bills on time and in full
- never exceeding your credit limit.
For more information, read our full guide on how to improve your credit score to see if there are any other things you could do.
For a better road ahead
Moneybarn is a member of the Finance and Leasing Association, the official trade organisation of the motor finance industry. The FLA promotes best practice in the motor finance industry for lending and leasing to consumers and businesses.
Moneybarn is the trading style of Moneybarn No. 1 Limited, a company registered in England and Wales with company number 04496573, and Moneybarn Limited, a company registered in England and Wales with company number 02766324. The registered address for these companies is: Athena House, Bedford Road, Petersfield, Hampshire, GU32 3LJ.
Moneybarn’s VAT registration number is 180 5559 52.
Moneybarn Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (Financial Services reference No. 702781)
Moneybarn No. 1 Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (Financial Services reference No. 702780)
