How to improve your credit score

A credit score is a system lenders use to decide how much of a risk it is to lend to you¹. Each lender sets its own threshold, and if your score falls below it, the lender may decide not to lend to you at all, or to charge you more if it does agree¹. That is the whole reason a score matters: it does not just decide whether you get a mortgage, loan or card, it can change what that borrowing costs.

Improving a score is slow, steady work rather than a quick fix. The steps that work are paying on time, being on the electoral register, using only a modest share of your available credit, applying sparingly, and correcting anything wrong on your file. Some of these show results in weeks, but accurate negative records stay on your file for six years, and no service can lawfully remove them early².

You do not have one score. There are three credit reference agencies, and they may each hold different information about you, so you have three scores that can differ³. Checking them is free and does no harm to any of them⁴.

What a credit score is and why lenders use it

Credit scoring is a system used by creditors to decide how much of a risk it is to lend to you¹. Lenders set a threshold level for credit scoring. If your score is below the threshold they may decide not to lend to you, or to charge you more if they do agree to lend¹. This is why two people applying for the same loan can be offered different terms, and why a refusal is not a judgement about you as a person but a mechanical result of where your file sits against that lender's cut-off.

The score itself is a summary, not the whole decision. Your credit file shows details of your finances for the last six years, and lenders look at that history alongside the score⁸. A score will show as a three digit number accompanied by a word grading, and the grades run from excellent down to very poor⁷. One agency's score shows as a number from 0 to 1,000², but the agencies use different scales, so a 700 from one agency does not mean the same as a 700 from another. What matters is the grade and the underlying file, not the raw number.

It is worth being clear about what a score is not. It is not a record of your income or your health, and it is not a blacklist. It is a summary of how you have borrowed and repaid, whether you are registered to vote, and what creditors have reported about you. The rest of this page sets out what lifts that summary and what holds it down. For a fuller explanation of the mechanics, see what a credit score is and how it works and how lenders decide whether to accept you.

You have three credit scores, one from each agency

There are three credit reference agencies, and they may each hold different information about you³. That means you have three scores, and they can differ, sometimes by a surprising amount, because each agency's file is built from what different creditors have reported to it. A lender that reports to only one agency will leave a gap in the other two.

Because the records differ, debt charities advise checking your credit file with all three agencies, since they keep different records and this is the way to cover everything⁹. The same message comes from every direction: get in touch with one of the three main agencies to see your score¹⁰, check with all of them so you do not miss anything¹¹, and get a copy of your report from all three because they might hold different information from different places¹². Each score, regardless of the agency, will be a three digit number accompanied by a word grading⁷.

Checking all three is free. You can check your credit score for free with the credit reference agencies, though it is worth checking whether you have to pay before you use one, as some services charge⁵. You can check as often as you like without doing any harm⁴. The agencies and how to reach them are covered in the UK credit reference agencies, and the free routes are set out in how to check your credit report for free. If your score differs between agencies, why your score differs between agencies explains the reasons.

What pushes a score up and what drags it down

The recognised steps for improving a credit file are consistent across the independent guidance. StepChange lists them plainly: pay back any credit you have borrowed, register on the electoral roll, check your credit report to make sure it is correct, and make sure your credit file is not linked to somebody with a poor credit score¹³. Building a history from nothing follows the same pattern: opening a bank account, taking out a credit card and paying it off in full every month, getting a mobile phone contract and keeping up with payments, being on the electoral roll, and making sure all the information on your record is correct¹⁴.

Some things drag a score down regardless of which agency is scoring you. Not being on the electoral roll, or making a late payment, negatively impact your score regardless of the agency⁴. Missed payments, defaults and court judgments stay on the file for six years and weigh on it throughout².

Borrowing more cuts both ways. A debt consolidation loan can help your score in time if you keep up with payments on time and in full¹⁵, but taking out a loan means taking out more credit, which could affect your score¹⁶. The same tension applies to any new credit: a new account handled well adds positive history, but the application itself and the new borrowing can dip your score first.

Lenders also watch the wider market, which affects how much credit is available and on what terms. The Bank of England's 2026 Q1 Credit Conditions Survey reported a 24.8 net percentage balance change in credit card limits over the past three months¹⁷. That is a market-wide figure rather than a personal one, but it shows that the limits your utilisation is measured against can move, which is one reason to check your file rather than assume it.

Paying on time carries the most weight

Payment history is the heaviest single factor, and it works through every kind of account. If you don't pay a bill on time, this could affect your credit rating and will appear on your credit file¹⁸. That covers ordinary household bills paid by direct debit or standing order, not just credit cards and loans. Setting up direct debits for at least the minimum payment on each credit account is the practical way to avoid an accidental missed payment.

Buy now pay later agreements now count too. If you miss payments on a BNPL agreement, those missed payments will show on your credit score and can make it harder to get credit in the future¹⁹. People often treat BNPL as separate from "real" credit, but the file does not distinguish in that way once a payment is missed. See buy now pay later and your credit report for how these agreements are recorded.

On a credit builder card, paying on time each month is what builds the rating and preserves any promotional offer that came with the card¹³. The timescale is realistic rather than instant: it takes six to 12 months of paying on time for someone who has never officially borrowed before to improve their credit score⁶. That is the fastest honest answer to "how long does it take", and it applies to a clean history being built, not to a damaged one being repaired, which takes longer.

A lot of checks in a short amount of time can also reduce your score²⁰, which is why the pattern of your applications matters as well as the pattern of your payments. Missed and late payments are covered in detail in missed and late payments on your credit file.

Get on the electoral register and keep your address up to date

Registering to vote is one of the quickest wins on a credit file, because it verifies who you are and where you live. Experian, the largest credit reference agency in the UK, says registering to vote can boost your score by as much as 50 points⁶. That is the agency's own figure for its own scale, so the exact number will not transfer to the other agencies, but the direction is the same everywhere: not being on the electoral roll negatively impacts your score regardless of the agency⁴.

The register also feeds into everyday applications. MoneyHelper advises anyone opening a current account to register to vote with their local council, as some banks use this as part of their checks²¹. It is one of the few improvement steps that costs nothing and takes minutes through your local council.

Address history matters as much as registration. When rebuilding credit after a county court judgment, Which? advises checking your credit report and making sure all details on it, including recent addresses and the electoral roll, are up to date, including past details²². An old address recorded wrongly, or a gap in your address history, can make a file look inconsistent to lenders. If an address link appears that you do not recognise, that is worth investigating, as covered in an address link or alias you don't recognise. The electoral register and your credit file are explained further in the electoral register and your credit file.

Credit utilisation: keeping balances below 30% to 50% of your limits

Credit utilisation is the share of your available credit you are actually using, and it is one of the factors you can change quickly, because paying a balance down changes it within a reporting cycle. The guidance on how low to go differs between sources, with recommendations ranging from below 25% to below 50% of your available credit, so the range is set out here.

Which? reports that keeping your balance below 30% of your total credit limit can boost your credit score, giving the example of a £1,000 balance on a higher limit⁶, and separately notes that it is generally recommended to keep your credit utilisation rate below 30 percent²³. Advice NI's guidance instead says to keep your credit usage low, ideally below 50% of your agreed credit limits⁷, and its mortgages and loans guidance repeats the same 50% figure²⁴. The safest reading is that below 30% is the tighter target and below 50% is the looser one, and the closer to 30% or under, the better.

Utilisation is measured across your limits, not per card in every lender's calculation, so a balance on one card can be offset by unused limit elsewhere, though closing unused cards removes that limit and can raise your utilisation. That trade-off is set out in closing vs keeping unused cards. The full mechanics are in credit utilisation and your credit score.

Limits themselves move with the market. The Bank of England's 2026 Q1 Credit Conditions Survey reported a 24.8 net percentage balance change in credit card limits over the previous three months¹⁷, so the denominator of your utilisation can change without you doing anything, which is another reason to check your file periodically rather than rely on a mental picture of your limits.

Hard and soft searches: applying without leaving a footprint

Every full application for credit leaves a mark. Hard checks involve a full search of your credit report and leave a footprint on your credit file that is visible to other lenders for at least 12 months, and can impact your credit report and score⁴. Multiple hard searches, particularly within a short period, can lower your credit score²⁵. A lot of checks in a short amount of time can reduce your score²⁰, and to a lender a cluster of applications can look like someone gathering credit quickly.

The way to apply without that footprint is the soft search eligibility check. When you apply for a credit card it will leave a mark on your credit file, so if you apply and are rejected, it will make it harder to get credit in the future; providers offer a soft search eligibility check which does not impact your credit score²⁶. The practical sequence is to run eligibility checks first, narrow to the offer you are most likely to get, and make one full application rather than several.

Checking your own score is a soft matter entirely: you can check your own credit score without hurting it²⁰, and as often as you like⁴. How many applications is too many, and how declined applications appear, are covered in how many applications is too many? and does a declined application show on your file?. The full picture is in hard and soft credit searches explained and credit eligibility checkers.

Check your credit report and correct mistakes

Everything else on this page assumes your file is accurate, and it may not be. It is a good idea to check your credit report from each agency regularly, at least once a year, as it may highlight inaccuracies²⁷. Checking also has a security value: regularly checking your credit report can help you spot suspicious activity, giving you a chance to report it before it goes too far²⁸. The Information Commissioner's Office advises regularly checking your credit card and bank statements for suspicious activity and monitoring your credit report²⁹.

Checking is free and can be done through Experian, Credit Karma or Equifax³⁰. What to look for includes accounts you do not recognise, wrong addresses, missed payments you actually made, and debts that appear twice. If anything on your credit file is incorrect, you can ask the credit reference agencies to add a Notice of Correction, which allows you to provide an explanation for any errors or inaccurate information³¹. After a CCJ, Which? advises contacting each of the three credit reference agencies and getting a notice of correction added to your credit report²².

Corrections take time. It may take up to 30 days, but timings are different depending on which credit reference agency you use to view your credit file². If an entry is accurate but the context matters, a notice of correction lets you explain it in your own words; the difference between that and a formal dispute is set out in notice of correction vs raising a dispute. The full process, including what to do when an agency refuses, is in how to correct wrong information on your credit report and notice of correction on your credit report.

Where improvement stops: the six-year rule for accurate negative records

This is the part no service can shortcut. Credit information stays on your file for six years from the date it was first entered⁷. Details are recorded on your file for six years, covering court action, defaults, partial payments and missed payments³². Some information stays on your credit file for six years, like missed payments, defaults and court judgments². Defaults make it harder to borrow more money as they stay on your credit file for six years².

Court judgments follow the same rule across the UK's different systems. A CCJ in England and Wales, a decree in Scotland, or a money judgment in Northern Ireland will have its details added to your credit history for six years³². A judgment recorded in connection with income tax debt will be recorded on your credit reference file for six years and can affect your ability to get further credit³³. If a new judgment is made, it may be recorded for six years on your credit reference file, and the six years start running from the date of the new judgment³⁴.

Debt solutions carry the same six-year weight. A debt write-off can remain on your credit record for up to six years³⁵, and details of a Debt Relief Order stay on a credit record for six years³⁶. The file as a whole shows details of your finances for the last six years⁸.

There are narrow exceptions worth knowing. A CCJ can be set aside in certain circumstances, which is a court process rather than a credit repair trick³⁴, and paying a CCJ within a month keeps it off your file altogether, as covered in paying a CCJ within a month. How long each kind of entry stays is set out in how long information stays on your credit file, and what paid services can and cannot do is in credit repair companies and fixing your credit file yourself.

Joint accounts and financial links with other people

Opening a joint account adds a financial link to the other person, so companies look at both credit histories, and a poor history might lower your chances of acceptance³⁷. MoneyHelper's advice is to only consider opening a joint bank account with someone you trust, as it could damage your credit score if they have poor credit, and you could be responsible if they run up debt²¹. The link is created by the joint product itself, whether that is an account, loan, mortgage or credit card.

Being married or in a civil partnership does not by itself create the link. Your partner's poor credit does not always affect you, even if you are married or in a civil partnership; it matters only if you have a joint account, loan or credit card with them, and a financial associate with a bad credit history can affect your score in that situation⁵.

Closing the joint account does not undo the link. Closing a joint account won't remove the link to the other person from your credit file; a notice of disassociation can be requested from the credit reference agencies if there is no other financial connection³⁷. After a separation, the connection persists: if you have a joint debt with your ex-partner, for example a mortgage or a loan, your credit files are connected, and how you manage your debts will affect your ex-partner if they apply for credit, and vice versa³⁸.

This is covered in full in financial associations and how to remove one and does a partner's bad credit affect yours?.

Borrowing and renting while your score recovers

A poor score narrows your options but does not close every door, and knowing what to expect stops a string of rejected applications, each leaving another hard search²⁶.

For loans, a poor credit rating may mean you can only get a loan at a high interest rate, or one secured against your home³⁹. A low credit score or a less-than-ideal credit history can make it harder to get approved for consolidation loans, and may mean being offered higher interest rates than you pay now, or higher risk secured loans¹⁶. For mortgages, lenders run a credit check on each applicant before granting a mortgage, and if one party has a poor credit score it could impact the lender's decision⁴⁰. With marks on your credit history, you may need to get a mortgage from a specialist lender⁴⁰. StepChange notes the same for bad credit mortgages generally, and lists the building blocks, from a bank account to a credit card paid off in full every month, as the way back¹⁴.

Renting is affected too. A bad credit rating can affect your ability to rent a home, get a mobile phone contract or anything else that requires a credit check⁴¹. Some landlords and rental companies do credit checks and may not rent to you if you have bad credit⁴². Your chances of being approved for a rental property may increase if you offer a higher security deposit, offer to pay more regular fees up front, give a budget showing you can afford the rent, show proof that your income is safe, or use a guarantor⁴². See renting with a poor credit history and tenant credit checks and your credit file.

If you are refused credit, the worst response is to keep applying. What to do instead is covered in what to do if you are refused credit, and the wider borrowing landscape while rebuilding is in rebuilding your credit after bankruptcy, an IVA or a DRO.

Where to get free help with debt and a poor credit history

A credit score problem is often a debt problem wearing a different label, and free, impartial help exists for the underlying debt rather than the score. StepChange's online debt advice tool gives advice tailored to your situation⁴³. National Debtline publishes guides on getting ready for debt advice³. Advice NI provides the equivalent guidance for Northern Ireland, including its guide to credit reports and credit reference agencies⁷. The Debt Advice Foundation publishes its own credit advice, including how to check your credit rating²⁷. The Credit Services Association lists debt advice services³¹. Gingerbread provides debt information for single parents¹².

If income has dropped, StepChange's reduced income guide walks through what to do, including checking your credit file with all three agencies so you do not miss anything¹¹. Its guidance on unemployment and reduced hours is blunt about one step: stop using credit cards or adding to credit card debt⁴⁴. Budgeting support, which is what makes on-time payments possible, is set out in StepChange's guide to ways to make budgeting easier³⁰.

Help with debt is being expanded at national level: the Money and Pensions Service's UK Strategy for Financial Wellbeing includes a goal of 2 million more people accessing debt advice by 2030⁴⁵. Debt advice itself does not damage your credit score; it is the solutions you may enter that are recorded, as explained in does debt advice affect your credit score? and debt solutions and your credit file. The full range of options, from informal arrangements to formal solutions, is in debt: a complete guide.