What Credit Score Do You Need for a Mortgage in the UK?
You have watched a number in an app for months, and your mortgage lender may never see it.
What to know first: Short answer: there is no minimum credit score for a UK mortgage. Each lender sets its own rules and mostly reads your credit report, not the score in a free app. Missed payments, defaults and CCJs (county court judgments) make approval harder, and Experian says you will likely need a bigger deposit, often 15% to 25%. Your debts matter as much as your score, because they cut how much you can borrow.
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See what to fix firstThree things get checked, and the score is only part of one
- Your credit report. Credit history, public records such as CCJs and IVAs (individual voluntary arrangements, formal debt repayment plans), and missed payments.
- Affordability. Income against spending and existing debts, plus fixed costs such as childcare, council tax and season tickets. Lenders may test whether you could still pay if rates or your circumstances changed.
- Your deposit. A bigger deposit lowers the loan-to-value (the loan as a share of the property price) and can unlock cheaper deals.
ClearScore adds electoral roll status, how much of your credit limits you use and recent applications. The score summarises the credit part only. It is never the whole decision.
Your debts shrink your mortgage, not just your score
This is the point most credit-score advice skips. Lenders deduct your monthly credit payments before they decide what you can afford, so a debt can cost you more in borrowing power than it does in score.
Here is an illustration, not a lender quote. Over 25 years at 5%, a £300 a month commitment is the same size as about £51,000 of mortgage. At 8%, it is about £39,000. So a car loan costing £300 a month could cost you a £51,000 smaller mortgage, even if your score is excellent.
Clearing a debt before you apply can do more than polishing your score. Work out where you stand with the debt-to-income ratio calculator and see how to pay off debt for the order to do it in.
How the deposit changes the numbers
On a £250,000 home, here is the loan and the monthly payment over 25 years at 5%. I ran the maths so the figures are exact.
| Deposit | Deposit amount | Loan | Loan-to-value | Monthly payment at 5% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5% | £12,500 | £237,500 | 95% | £1,388 |
| 10% | £25,000 | £225,000 | 90% | £1,315 |
| 15% | £37,500 | £212,500 | 85% | £1,242 |
| 25% | £62,500 | £187,500 | 75% | £1,096 |
Going from a 5% to a 25% deposit cuts the payment by £292 a month. Rates also differ between those loan-to-value bands, so the real gap is usually wider. If your file is not perfect, saving a bigger deposit while you repair it works better than either alone. A rate move matters too: on the £225,000 loan, 4.5% costs £1,251 a month and 5.5% costs £1,382.
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Check your debt-to-income ratioWhat damages your chances, and for how long
| On your file | Effect on a mortgage | How long it stays |
|---|---|---|
| Missed or late payments | Harder to get approved. Recent ones hurt most | Up to 6 years |
| Default (see what is a default) | Many mainstream lenders decline. Specialist lenders may say yes with a larger deposit | 6 years from the default date |
| CCJ | Same, and it signals non-payment to every lender | 6 years, or removed if paid in full within 1 month |
| IVA or DMP | Heavily restricts lenders. Often needs time after completion | IVA 6 years from start; DMP markers vary by creditor |
| Maxed-out cards | Lowers score and cuts affordability | Until balances are repaid |
Lenders also care about how recent a problem is. A default from five years ago, with a clean record since, is a very different application from one last spring.
The six months before you apply
- Pull all three credit reports (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion) and fix errors such as a wrong address. See how to check your credit score for free.
- Register on the electoral roll at your current address.
- Pay every commitment on time. Set direct debits for the full amount where you can.
- Keep card balances at 25% or less of your limits, as Experian suggests.
- Avoid new credit. No new cards, loans or finance deals.
- Stop overdraft use. Lenders typically ask for three or four months of bank statements.
For quicker fixes see how to improve your credit score fast. If you only make the minimum payments on cards, the Minimum Payment Trap Calculator shows how long that keeps the balance on your file.
Ask this before you apply
Does a mortgage in principle use a soft search or a hard search? A hard search is visible to other lenders, and several close together can lower your score. A broker who searches the whole market can reduce the number of applications you make.
Joint applications need care. A partner’s poor credit can affect yours, and shared accounts link your files, so check the association section of your report.
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Struggling with debt before a mortgage?Questions people ask
Is there a minimum credit score for a mortgage?
No. ClearScore and Experian both say each lender sets its own criteria. There is no magic number.
Will the lender see the score in my app?
Not that one. Lenders mostly rely on the information in your credit report, so treat the app score as a guide to how your file might look.
Does applying for a mortgage damage my score?
A full application leaves a hard search, which has a small, temporary effect. Several close together can harm your score. Ask whether a mortgage in principle uses a soft or hard search.
I have a default from a few years ago. Is that the end of it?
Not necessarily. A larger deposit, a specialist lender or a broker can still get you a deal, and the older and more isolated the default, the better your chances.
Can I get a mortgage with a CCJ?
Sometimes. A satisfied CCJ is easier than an unpaid one, and a recent one is harder than an old one. Expect a bigger deposit and a higher rate.
Does a car loan or credit card affect how much I can borrow?
Yes. Monthly credit payments are deducted from your income when affordability is worked out, so clearing one first can raise what you can borrow.
Should I pay off debt or save a deposit first?
If a debt has a high monthly payment, clearing it can raise borrowing power more than the same money saved. Run both numbers before you decide.
Disclaimer: DebtShift is an educational platform operated by H Ali Logistics Ltd, which is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). This article is general education, not financial or legal advice. For free, impartial debt advice, contact StepChange on 0800 138 1111 or National Debtline on 0808 808 4000.
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