January 2026
Almost everyone has a credit score. Some are higher than others, and they are used as indicators of credit worthiness by mortgage lenders. There’s a lot of hype about credit scores, so if you have any concerns or questions about credit scores and mortgages, read our guide to find out more.
A credit score is one of the key measures of affordability that will be looked at by a lender, and it will be an important one. But it won’t be the only factor that will decide whether you are accepted for a mortgage, or what types of mortgage product you will have access to.
There is no hard or fast number, but the popular credit score website Experian considers scores that fall between 861-1000 to be good. 797 is the average UK Experian credit score*. Mortgage lenders will have their own internal credit scoring system, so the credit score alone will not determine if you receive a mortgage offer.
Yes, you could easily be offered a mortgage with a lower than average credit score. The interest rates or mortgage terms may not be as favourable as applicants with higher credit scores, but lenders will base their decision on a wide range of factors.
No, banks and building societies will run checks using different credit score providers and credit reference agencies, and will have their own rules and thresholds. There is no ‘magic number’.
If you’re considering applying for a mortgage, it’s a good idea to check your up to date credit score. There may be immediate things you can do to make improvements to your score.
Are there any mistakes on your credit report?
Check that you are registered on the electoral roll. You might not be, especially if you have moved several times in recent years. Simply by being on the electoral roll will improve your credit score.
If you have struggled to make repayments to credit agreements in the past, this will have lowered your credit score. Ensure that your payments are scheduled so they are made on time each month. If it’s possible, see if you can pay more than the minimum amount – while it won’t harm your credit score, paying only the minimum amount each month will extend the debt and the length of time you are relying on credit.
Obviously some emergencies or unexpected bills may need to be paid on a credit card, but try to be cautious with credit if you are thinking about making a mortgage application.
Lenders are looking for responsible borrowers. They will be checking to see how the level of debt you have compares with the credit limit of each card. Maxing out a credit card will be a huge red flag to a lender.
Now is not the time to start making large and frequent transactions on your credit card. This won’t help your credit score, unless the debts are cleared quickly. It’s one of the mistakes first time buyers sometimes make. Big ticket purchases like new cars will have to wait.
The more credit agreements you have in place does not necessarily mean the lower your credit score will be. What matters most will be your payments, their regularity and value. However, every new credit application you make will cause a temporary dip in your credit score.
While it’s good practice to switch credit cards frequently so that you benefit from 0% interest rates, try to keep those old credit card accounts open. They will increase your total credit limit, and if you spend responsibly, the percentage of spending to debt will be lower. Long established accounts show that you can manage credit responsibly over time.
If you are married or in a civil partnership, your partner’s financial history and credit score will be checked too as part of a mortgage application.
A lender will perform a ‘soft credit check’ initially and this will be the basis of any mortgage offer in principle. The ‘hard check’ will look at the following to measure an applicant’s risk:
Lenders will have their own scoring systems to decide whether a mortgage is affordable, and will not rely solely on a credit score from a third party provider.
From helping you save for a deposit, to understanding more about mortgages and affordability, we’re here to make the journey to buying your first home easier.
Find out more in our First-Time Buyers Hub:
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