What credit score do you need for a mortgage?

There is no single minimum credit score for a mortgage in the UK. Each lender runs its own scoring model, using data from one or more credit reference agencies alongside the application, and sets its own pass mark. The score shown in a consumer credit app is a guide to how the file looks, not the number a lender uses.

This is why two applicants with the same app score can get different answers from the same lender, and why one applicant can be declined by one lender and accepted by another. What sits behind the score, such as missed payments or a recent default, usually matters more than the number.

Lenders also apply policy rules alongside scoring. An application can be declined under a rule, such as a recent county court judgment, even when the overall score would otherwise pass, and accepted after manual review when the score alone is borderline.

Lenders look at the detail on the credit file rather than a headline score. They check whether payments have been made on time, any defaults, county court judgments or insolvency, how much credit is available and in use, how many applications have been made recently, and whether the applicant is on the electoral roll at their address.

They also check that the name, address history and financial links match the application. Any mismatch, such as a missing previous address, can lead to questions from the underwriter or delay a decision.

Bank statements are often reviewed alongside the file. Regular overdraft use, missed direct debits or payments to short-term lenders can be picked up there even when the credit file itself looks clean.

The three main UK credit reference agencies each use a different scale. Experian scores run from 0 to 1,250 and Equifax from 0 to 1,000, while TransUnion is moving from 0 to 710 to 0 to 999 until June 2027 (credit reference agencies, accessed 20 Oct 2026). Scores from different agencies cannot be compared directly.

Each agency also groups its scores into bands such as fair, good and excellent. The bands are a rough guide to how lenders might see the file, but lenders do not use them as approval thresholds.

Because lenders choose which agency to use, and may use more than one, it helps to check all three files rather than relying on a single score. A problem recorded by one agency may not appear on the others.

A credit score can affect whether a lender accepts an application, how much it is willing to lend and which products are available. Applicants with a clean file usually have access to the widest range of mainstream deals, while recent missed payments or defaults can narrow the choice to lenders that specialise in adverse credit.

A score is only one part of the decision. Lenders also assess income, regular spending, existing debts, the deposit or equity, the property and the loan-to-value. A strong credit file does not guarantee approval if affordability checks fail, and a weaker file does not always mean a mortgage is out of reach.

The effect also depends on timing. A file that was weak a few years ago but shows a steady record since may now meet mainstream criteria, while a file with a very recent problem may need to wait, or use a specialist lender, until the entry has aged and the record since then is long enough to reassure underwriters.

A fair credit score does not rule out a mortgage. Because lenders do not use the agency bands as pass marks, an applicant with a fair score can still meet a lender's criteria if the file shows steady payments and affordability checks are met. A fair score often reflects a short history or high card use rather than missed payments.

With a low credit score, the reason behind it matters most. A low score caused by recent defaults, county court judgments or missed payments narrows the range of lenders, while one caused by a thin file can improve as new accounts build a record. Specialist lenders assess adverse entries case by case, looking at how old an entry is, its size and whether it has been settled.

Affordability is assessed separately from the credit score. Lenders work out how much an applicant can borrow from income and outgoings, then stress test the payments at a higher rate. A larger deposit lowers the loan-to-value, which can widen the choice of lenders and offset a thinner or weaker credit history for some applicants.

Employment type also matters. Self-employed applicants, contractors and people with variable income may be asked for more evidence. What counts as a good score on each scale is explained in the guide to a good credit score for a mortgage.

A joint mortgage application links the credit files of everyone named on it. Each applicant's payment history, debts and searches are assessed, and a problem on one file can affect the outcome for both. Once two people have applied together, the agencies record a financial association that can remain after the relationship ends.

Applicants who no longer share finances with a former partner can ask each agency to remove the association, which stops the other person's history being considered in future applications.

Lenders also look at how much both applicants owe in total, so existing loans and cards held by either person can reduce how much the pair can borrow, even if both files are clean.

The same credit file is used for every type of mortgage, but lenders' criteria differ by product. First-time buyers often have shorter credit histories, remortgage applicants have a payment record on their current mortgage, and buy-to-let applicants are also assessed on the rental income and their existing property portfolio.

Specialist products, such as mortgages for self-employed applicants, contractors or people with complex income, are assessed on the same credit data but may give more weight to bank statements, accounts and tax records.

Remortgage applicants who stay with their current lender on a new product may face lighter checks than those moving to a new lender, because the existing lender already holds their payment record. Moving lender usually means a full application, a hard search and a fresh affordability assessment.

Some later-life and equity release products assess credit differently again, because repayments may not be required in the same way. Each lender sets its own approach, so the same credit history can lead to different answers for different products.

Most entries stay on a UK credit file for 6 years from the date they are recorded (credit reference agencies, accessed 20 Oct 2026). This includes missed payments, defaults, county court judgments and insolvency, whether or not the debt has since been repaid. After that period, the entry drops off the file automatically and lenders can no longer see it.

Lenders give more weight to recent events. A missed payment from several years ago, followed by a clean record, is usually viewed more favourably than one from last month.

Hard searches stay visible for a shorter period than adverse entries, and soft searches are visible only to the person whose file it is.

Settled accounts in good standing also stay on the file for a period after they are closed. These positive entries show a record of borrowing that was repaid as agreed, which can help applicants whose current file has only a few open accounts.

A declined mortgage application is not recorded on the credit file as a decline, but the hard search made for the application stays visible. Lenders do not have to explain their scoring in detail, though they can say whether a credit reference agency was used. Checking that agency's file is a sensible next step.

Errors found on the file can be disputed with the agency. If the file is accurate, the reason for the decline may lie in the lender's own criteria, affordability or the property rather than in the credit history itself.

Applying to many lenders in quick succession after a decline adds further hard searches. Matching the application to a lender whose criteria fit the file, often through a broker, avoids this. Applicants with recent missed payments or defaults may find the adverse credit mortgages section relevant.

Mortgage brokers know which lenders accept which credit histories, and many can run eligibility checks using soft searches before a full application. This can reduce the risk of a decline and avoid unnecessary hard searches. Brokers can also explain how a lender is likely to treat a specific entry on the file.

Some lenders deal only with brokers, particularly for specialist and adverse credit products, so a broker may have access to options that are not offered directly.

A broker is not a guarantee of approval. The lender still makes the decision, using its own scoring and criteria, and the applicant's information must be accurate and complete.

Applicants can check their file with each agency before applying, correct any errors, register on the electoral roll and avoid new credit applications in the months before a mortgage. Paying every bill on time and reducing card balances relative to their limits can also help how the file reads.

Changes take time to show, because agencies update as lenders report each month. The guides below cover each step in more detail.

Small, steady habits tend to matter more than one-off actions. Paying every account on time, keeping balances low relative to limits, and avoiding new borrowing in the period before an application all help a file read well to lenders, whichever agency they use and whichever product is applied for.

Applicants who have had problems in the past can also add a short notice of correction to their file, explaining the circumstances. Lenders may read it during a manual review, although it does not change how automated scoring treats the entry.