Credit Score Basics > What is the Equifax credit score range in the UK?

What is the Equifax credit score range in the UK?

The Equifax credit score in the UK ranges from 0 to 1,000.

In case you need a reminder, a credit score is a three-digit number that shows lenders how likely you are to pay your bills on time. There's no "magic number" that guarantees you'll get a loan or better interest rates. Your credit score is also different between Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion, as each credit reference agency uses slightly different data.

I thought the Equifax score range was 0 to 700?

Yes, previously, the Equifax credit score scale ranged from zero to 700, and fell into five bands: very poor, poor, fair, good, and excellent.

Since 2021, your Equifax score has been out of 1,000. It's still divided into five bands but now starts with "poor" and includes a new rating category, "very good."

This was Equifax's old credit score scale:

• Very poor: 0 to 278,
• Poor: 279 to 366,
• Fair: 367 to 419,
• Good: 420 to 466,
• Excellent: 467 to 700.

Equifax's new credit score scale (since 2021) removed "Very poor" and added a new band called "Very good":

• Poor: 0 to 438,
• Fair: 439 to 530,
• Good: 531 to 670,
• Very good: 671 to 810,
• Excellent: 811 to 1000.

What is a good Equifax credit score?

Technically, an Equifax score over 531 is considered "good".

That doesn't mean you'll get approved or get a low-interest rate. You'll want a score that's at least "very good" to have some confidence that you'll get the loan or mortgage you want – on the terms you want. Which means that you should aim for at least a credit score of 670.

How do I check my Equifax credit score?

You have a few options to check your Equifax credit score.

First, you can go to the Equifax website and sign up for their service, which costs £14.95 a month. It does have a 30-day free trial, though, during which time you can view your full credit report and score for free.

This paid plan is not only limited to giving you more information, though – paying customers can also use the identity protection feature, which will alert you if your financial details are used somewhere online by fraudsters.

The other option is to sign up for ClearScore, giving you free access to your Equifax credit score. In exchange, ClearScore will show you promotional products from its partners (credit cards, etc.) and earn a small commission if you decide to sign up for any of these products.

Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion?

Most UK lenders check data from all three main credit reference agencies. However, your score will differ slightly for each CRA because they don't all get data from the same sources.

That's why we recommend you do two things.

First, check your score with all three credit reference agencies. There are multiple ways to do this, and we have a guide written about it here.

Second, if you want to improve your credit score, use a credit-building tool that reports to all three CRAs: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. At Wollit, we do this by default: we report your Wollit monthly plan payments to all three agencies, so your credit score has a chance to improve across the board.

• Credit Reference Agencies