Lenders will look at your credit history when deciding whether to take you on as a customer if you’re looking to get a credit card or take out a personal loan. Your credit score is a number that represents how creditworthy you are, and it tells you whether you need to work on building a good credit history. But what is the average credit score in the UK?
Credit score statistics: Highlights
The average credit score in the UK is 644 on the Equifax scale.
An estimated 1 in 10 Brits are credit invisible, around 5.6 million people.
1 in 5 people (19.8%) have a poor credit score.
More than 1 in 4 Brits (27.2%) fall into the excellent credit score band.
A good credit score needs to be at least 531.
The average credit score is lowest in Northern Ireland and highest in the South East, with scores of 603 and 680, respectively.
Those aged 65 and over are the only age group with an excellent rating on average, with a score of 839.
What is the average credit score in the UK?
The average credit score in the UK is 644 according to Equifax. The average credit score varies depending on age group and location within the UK. It is also important to note that scores will be different depending on the credit reference agency used.
The averages and figures used in this article are based on Equifax data.
What is a good credit score?
Credit scores are divided into different bands to help people in the UK better understand their position and rating when it comes to their credit history and how likely they are to be accepted by a lender. There is no such thing as a universal credit score in the UK as there are different credit scoring agencies.
Equifax
Equifax uses a 5-band system ranging from poor to excellent, with a highest possible score of 1000. A good credit score needs to be at least 531.
Poor: 0-438
Fair: 439-530
Good: 531-670
Very good: 671-810
Excellent: 811-1000
Experian
Experian uses a 5-band system ranging from very poor to excellent, with a highest possible score of 999. A good credit score needs to be at least 881.
Very poor: 0-560
Poor: 561-720
Fair: 721-880
Good: 881-960
Excellent: 961-999
Transunion
TransUnion uses a 5-band system ranging from very poor to excellent, with a highest possible score of 710. A good credit score needs to be at least 604.
Very poor: 0-550
Poor: 551-565
Fair: 566-603
Good: 604-627
Excellent: 628-710
What is the average credit score by age?
18-25 year olds have an average credit score of 447.
25-34 year olds have an average credit score of 539.
35-44 year olds have an average credit score of 637.
45-54 year olds have an average credit score of 718.
55-64 year olds have an average credit score of 781.
65+ year olds have an average credit score of 839.
The average credit score increases with age, according to 2023 data from Equifax. People under the age of 25 tend to have a poor credit rating, while those between the ages of 25 and 44 have a good credit score on average.
Those aged between 45 and 64 have a very good credit rating. Those aged 65 and over are the only people that have an excellent credit score on average.
Our research in 2023 found that 1 in 10 Brits (10%) would be classed as credit invisible, meaning they have no credit history on record. This equates to around 5.6 million UK adults.
According to Emily Herring, credit and loans expert at finder.com, being classed as “credit invisible” has several downsides: “Credit applications may take longer because lenders will have to complete a manual and detailed risk assessment. The rates you’re offered may also be higher since lenders have no evidence that you’ve been able to manage credit well in the past.”
If you are a young person or you have a limited credit history, you can establish a good credit report by using a credit card.
What is the average credit score in your area?
The average credit score is lowest in Northern Ireland and highest in the South East, with scores of 603 and 680 respectively. There is a significant difference between the regions:
People in Northern Ireland have an average credit score of 603.
People in London have an average credit score of 607.
People in the North East have an average credit score of 613.
People in the North West have an average credit score of 617.
People in the West Midlands have an average credit score of 627.
People in Yorkshire and The Humber have an average credit score of 629.
People in Wales have an average credit score of 640.
People in the East Midlands have an average credit score of 644.
People in Scotland have an average credit score of 649.
People in the East of England have an average credit score of 668.
People in the South West have an average credit score of 671.
People in the South East have an average credit score of 680.
Region
% Split
Average score
East Midlands
8.00%
644
East of England
12.40%
668
London
11.10%
607
Northern Ireland
2.00%
603
North East
3.60%
613
North West
10.50%
617
Scotland
6.70%
649
South East
18.40%
680
South West
6.60%
671
West Midlands
8.30%
627
Wales
4.80%
640
Yorkshire and The Humber
7.40%
629
How many people have an excellent credit score?
This is the breakdown of credit score bands according to data from Equifax:
More than 1 in 4 (27.2%) fall into the excellent credit score band.
Around 1 in 5 people (21.5%) fall into the very good band.
Around 1 in 5 people (20.5%) have a good credit rating.
Around 1 in 10 (11%) have a fair credit rating.
Just under 1 in 5 people (19.8%) have a poor credit score.
Emily Herring, credit and loans expert at finder.com explains the importance of having a good credit score.
Whenever you apply for credit, a potential lender will look at your history of borrowing and repaying (via your credit record) to determine how much of a risk you are – in other words, how likely they are to get their money back. Broadly speaking, the better your credit history, the easier you will find it to obtain credit AND the better the interest rates available to you. So having a good credit score can help you secure the credit you need at a decent interest rate.
Click here for more research. For all media enquiries, please contact –
Matt Mckenna
UK Head of Communications T: +44 20 8191 8806
Emily Herring is a Publisher at Finder specialising in credit-based products including credit cards and business and personal loans. Emily has recently joined the Investments team. She has a Masters in Creative Writing & Publishing and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication & Media. See full bio
Emily's expertise
Emily has written 134 Finder guides across topics including:
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