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What is a good credit score in 2025?
A good credit score can be important when accessing credit. A good score can make you attractive to creditors and open the door to a range of products. It can also be beneficial for your overall financial well-being.
If you’re focusing on your financial goals, understanding what makes a score ‘good’ can be the perfect start. To help you, here’s a look at what a good credit score is in 2025.
What is a credit score?
Your credit score is a numerical representation of how well you manage credit. This number is usually three digits, and, in the UK, is calculated by three main CRAs (credit reference agencies): Experian, Equifax and TransUnion.
Each agency has its scoring system, and while their ranges differ, each uses your credit history to build your score. They consider similar factors to create your credit usage’s numerical value. These could include:
- The reliability of your repayments
- The types of credit you have taken out
- How long you have had your credit accounts for
- How much of your available credit you use
- The number of credit applications you have made recently
Why is a credit score important?
A good credit score informs lenders of whether you are likely to be a good debtor. This is because the score predicts your future behaviours based on past borrowing.
Lenders use your credit score to decide whether to offer you credit, how much to offer, and at what interest rate. A higher, stronger score can give you access to better financial products and favourable interest rates and terms, so you can repay less over time. If you have a lower, weaker score, this may result in higher interest rates or even denial of credit.
One of the main reasons for lenders to access your credit score is when you’re looking to borrow money in the form of a debt consolidation loan or another form of credit. However, there are other areas where it can have an influence.
- Housing: If you’re planning to rent a property, the landlord may check your credit score to gauge if you’re a dependable tenant. Likewise, if you’re taking out a mortgage and your credit score is poor, you’ll likely be rejected.
- Employment: Some employers conduct credit checks, especially for roles involving financial responsibility. While they can’t see your score, they can see a version of your credit report, including any County Court Judgements (CCJs), and your report is the basis for your score.
- Utilities and services: Providers may use your credit score to determine deposit requirements or payment terms.
Knowing what your credit score is can give you the information you need to make important financial decisions.
What is a good credit score?
What is classed as a good credit score for borrowers in 2025 depends on the credit reference agency you choose to go with. The score ranges have changed over the years, but currently, these agencies set out their scores like this:
- Experian: Scores range from 0 to 999. A good score is between 881 and 960.
- Equifax: Scores range from 0 to 1,000. A good score is between 531 and 670.
- TransUnion: Scores range from 0 to 710. A good score is between 604 and 627.
You can get a free credit report from each of these CRAs. It’s worth getting a report from each so you can check your score and ensure the details in each report are accurate and up to date. Even small details like a missed change of address can potentially affect your credit report and score, so take the time to look through these.
Do I need to be 'excellent'?
Having a good score is something you should aim for, as this makes you an attractive prospect to lenders. However, CRAs often have credit score categories like ‘very good’ and ‘excellent’. You don’t have to reach these levels, but it gives you room to make financial decisions that may impact your score in the future.
For instance, you may find that closing an unused credit card can mean your score drops by a few points. This could mean you drop from ‘very good’ to ‘good’, so you’re still in the range for being a good borrower. This drop in points may be because the lenders see the closure of a form of credit as a negative thing, as longstanding accounts show you are loyal.
But doing something like closing an unused credit card can be a good sign for some lenders, as you have less available credit. In this case, how you use credit and the way this reflects in your credit report can depend on how the lender sees the change. So, having an ‘excellent’ credit score to begin with can serve as a ‘buffer’ if there are changes to the types of credit you have.
How do I achieve a good credit score?
While each lender scores you differently, there are steps you can take to help your credit score and reduce the likelihood of being rejected for credit.
- Check your credit report: Review your credit reports for errors and correct any inaccuracies. Ideally, do this once a year or before you apply for credit.
- Pay bills on time: Timely payments show reliability. Missed payments could cause problems that last for years. If you have a loan, for example, make sure you meet the repayments on schedule and know the timescale you have in place.
- Manage credit utilisation: Keep your credit card balances low relative to your limits. It’s said to aim for utilisation below 30%.
- Limit new credit applications: Frequent applications can indicate to lenders that you’re having financial difficulties. Apply for new credit only when necessary.
- Check your credit file after rejection: If you’ve been turned down, make sure you’ve read your report to see if there are errors you can rectify.
Focus on getting a good credit score with Evolution Money
If you want to focus on getting a good credit score in 2025, meeting repayments on products could be beneficial. **we may be able to consolidate all your existing repayments into one**, and you could borrow from £5,000 to £100,000. We’re regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and by our customers too.
To begin, check your eligibility with us today. If you’re a homeowner aged between 21 and 70 and live in the UK, we may be able to help you.
There are more tips and guides in our help and advice hub, so you can find out about different ways to manage your finances and focus on your score.
Representative 28.96% APRC (Variable)
For a typical loan of £26,600 over 180 months with a variable interest rate of 19.56% per annum, your monthly repayments would be £484.00. This includes a Product Fee of £2,660.00 (10% of the loan amount) and a Lending Fee* of £763.00, bringing the total repayable amount to £87,030.00. Annual Interest Rates range between 11.7% to 46.5% (variable). Maximum 50.00% APRC. *Lending Fee varies by country: England & Wales £763, Scotland £1,051, Northern Ireland: £1,736.
Think carefully before securing debts against your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage or any other loan secured against it. If you are thinking of consolidating existing borrowing, you should be aware that you may be extending the terms of the debt and increasing the total amount you repay.
