What Is a Bad Credit Score?

A bad credit score is a number that tells lenders you may be a higher risk to lend to. It is based on your financial history, but it is not fixed. With a few simple steps, a low score can improve over time.

Your score is worked out by one of the UK’s three credit reference agencies: TransUnion, Equifax or Experian. Each one reads your financial history in its own way, so your scores can differ.

It is sometimes called a poor credit score, and sits in the lower part of an agency’s scale. A low score usually points to negative markers such as a missed payment, a default, or a period of insolvency. Smaller things can play a part too, like out of date details on your file or not being registered to vote.

There is no single cut-off that every lender agrees on. What is considered a bad credit score depends on the agency you check with and the lender reading it. Each agency groups scores into bands, usually running from poor or very poor at the bottom up to excellent at the top. A score in the lowest band tells lenders that lending to you may carry more risk, so you might be declined, offered a smaller amount, or charged a higher rate of interest.

The encouraging part is that a low score reflects your past, not your potential. Lenders all weigh things differently, so a score that looks weak to one may look acceptable to another. That is one reason people use a broker like Sunny to compare several lenders at once.

What Is a Bad Credit Score Number?

There is no universal bad credit score number, because each UK agency scores you on a different scale. The same financial history can produce three very different looking numbers. Here is how the three main scales work in 2026:

• Experian scores from 0 to 1,250. Experian expanded its range from the old 0 to 999 scale in late 2025 and refreshed its band names at the same time, so the numbers you saw before may look different now.
• Equifax scores from 0 to 1,000. If you have ever wondered what a bad credit score out of 1,000 looks like, this is the scale you mean, and a score near the bottom of it would be treated as poor.
• TransUnion scores from 0 to 710, the narrowest of the three.

Because the scales differ, a number that counts as poor on one agency would not mean the same on another. What matters most is the band your score falls into, rather than the exact figure. The lower you sit within any agency’s range, the more likely a lender is to view your file as bad credit.

What Is the Lowest Credit Score You Can Have?

The lowest credit score you can have is 0. Your score cannot drop below zero or become a negative number with any of the three agencies. A score sitting near the bottom of an agency’s scale is usually classed as very poor, which is the weakest rating a lender will see.

A very low score does not have to be permanent. Most of the markers that drag a score down fade in importance over time, and some, such as a recent hard search, drop off your report fairly quickly. Even from a low starting point, steady habits can move your score in the right direction.

Is There a Single, Universal Credit Score?

No. There is no universal credit score in the UK. Each credit reference agency holds slightly different information about you and interprets it in its own way, which is why your three scores rarely match. Lenders do not all report to all three agencies, so your Experian file might show an account that your TransUnion file does not.

Your scores should still sit in broadly the same area. If you are rated as poor by one agency, you are unlikely to be rated as excellent by another. Checking all three gives you the fullest picture and lets you spot any errors that might be holding you back.

What Could Contribute to a Bad Credit Score?

A number of things feed into your credit score. If it is low or poor, it could be down to one or more of these:

• Late or missed payments. A late or missed payment on an account in your name is recorded on your credit report and pulls your score down.
• Defaulted accounts. When an account stays in arrears for long enough, the lender may register a default. Defaults stay on your credit report for six years and affect your score until they drop off.
• Insolvency or debt management plans. Bankruptcy, an individual voluntary arrangement (IVA), a debt relief order (DRO) or a debt management plan (DMP) are all recorded on your report, usually for six years from the date they are set up.
• Applying for too much credit at once. Each application that triggers a hard search is logged on your report. A burst of applications in a short space of time can look like a warning sign to future lenders.
• Incorrect details on your file. Conflicting information, such as an out of date address, makes it harder for lenders to verify who you are, and that uncertainty is reflected in your score.
• Not being on the electoral register. Registering to vote is a simple way for lenders to confirm your address. Not being listed makes that harder and can lower your score.
• A thin credit file. Never having used credit can count against you too. Lenders like to see a track record of borrowing and repaying, so very little history gives them little to go on.
• Fraudulent accounts. If someone uses your details to take out credit and does not repay it, the damage can land on your report. If you spot any account you do not recognise, tell the credit reference agency and the lender, then report it to Action Fraud.

How a Bad Credit Score Affects You

Your credit score shapes how lenders see you, so a bad credit score can make day to day borrowing harder. You are more likely to be turned down, and if you are accepted, you may be offered a smaller amount or a higher interest rate to reflect the perceived risk. The best promotional rates and rewards usually go to people with stronger scores.

The effect is not limited to loans and credit cards. A poor score can influence mortgage decisions, mobile phone contracts, car finance and some utility arrangements. If you have been declined before, our guide on why can’t I get a loan explains the common reasons and what you can do next. There are also lenders who look beyond the score alone, which is why comparing options through a broker can help.

What Is Listed on Your Credit Report?

Your credit report is the record your score is built from. A lot of everyday credit products appear on it, including:

• Mortgages. Your mortgage payments are detailed on your report and a missed payment can affect your score.
• Loans. Everything from short-term loans to larger personal loans is listed.
• Credit cards. Your cards and repayment history are recorded.
• Mobile phone contracts. A pay monthly contract counts as credit and shows on your report.
• Car finance. Hire purchase and PCP deals both feature and can affect your score.
• Utility bills. Some gas, electricity and water providers report your payments.
• Overdrafts. An agreed overdraft shows on your report, along with how you use it.
• Store cards and buy now pay later. Paying for goods later is listed too.

What Is Not Listed on Your Credit Report?

A few things you might expect to see are not usually on your credit report, which means they do not directly contribute to a bad credit score:

• Student loans. These are not listed, so the amount you owe is not considered when you apply for credit.
• Some utility providers. Not every supplier shares payment details with the agencies.
• Rent payments. These are not usually recorded, although some services now let you add them to your file.
• Council tax. Payments for this are not listed.
• Bank accounts. Not all banks report to the agencies as standard, and you may need a particular account type for them to do so.

Can You Improve a Bad Credit Score?

Yes. A bad credit score is a snapshot of your past, not a life sentence, and there is plenty you can do to improve it. Progress takes a little patience, but these steps make a real difference over time:

• Pay on time and in full. Consistent, on time payments are the single strongest signal that you manage money responsibly.
• Keep your balances low. Try to use no more than around 30% of the credit available to you on cards and overdrafts.
• Register to vote. Make sure your address is up to date on the electoral roll at gov.uk/register-to-vote, as this helps lenders confirm your identity.
• Space out applications. Each hard search can nudge your score down, so apply only for credit you have a good chance of getting.
• Check for errors. Review all three reports and challenge anything that looks wrong, as a single mistake can hold your score back.
• Build a steady history. If your file is thin, using a small amount of credit and repaying it on time helps prove you can manage it.

Before you apply for any new credit, you can check your likely eligibility with a soft search that lenders cannot see. That lets you understand where you stand without leaving a mark on your file.

How Long Does It Take to Improve a Bad Credit Score?

There is no fixed timescale, and it is different for everyone. Some changes show up fairly quickly, such as registering to vote or correcting an error. Others take longer, because markers like defaults stay on your report for six years from the date they were registered. Our guide on how long does bad credit last goes into the timescales in more detail.

The good news is that the impact of older negative markers tends to fade as they age, so a default from several years ago weighs less than a recent one. Steady habits, kept up month after month, are what move a score from bad towards good.

Borrowing When You Have a Bad Credit Score

At Sunny, we believe your credit history does not tell your whole story. A low score does not automatically rule out borrowing. Some lenders specialise in helping people whose credit history is less than perfect, looking at your wider circumstances rather than the number alone. This is where a broker can save you time and protect your file at the same time.

Sunny is a credit broker, not a lender. We search a panel of FCA-authorised lenders to find a suitable match, and all of those lenders work within the regulator’s rules, including caps on the cost of short-term credit. We never charge you a fee, your initial eligibility check is a soft search that will not affect your score, and there is no obligation to accept any offer you are shown.

If you are exploring your options, our bad credit loans connect you with lenders who look beyond your score. You could also consider bad credit payday loans for shorter-term needs, or no guarantor loans if you would rather not ask someone to co-sign. Loans range from £100 to £2,500, with repayment terms from 3 to 36 months.

Borrowing responsibly matters. Only ever borrow what you need and feel confident you can repay on time, and remember that short-term loans usually carry higher interest rates than mainstream personal loans. If money is already a worry, free and impartial help is available from MoneyHelper, StepChange and Citizens Advice.

Check your eligibility today

Why you can count on Sunny:

• Over 1 million customers since 2022
• 4.5 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot from more than 7,385 reviews
• 7,500+ no-obligation quotes processed every day
• FCA-authorised lenders only
• Never any fees from Sunny
• Soft credit check that won’t affect your score

Warning: Late repayment can cause you serious money problems. For help, go to moneyhelper.org.uk

Frequently Asked Questions

What is considered a bad credit score in the UK?

A bad credit score in the UK is one that sits in the lowest band of a credit reference agency’s scale, often labelled poor or very poor. There is no single number that every lender uses, because each agency scores on a different range and each lender sets its own criteria. As a rule, the lower your score within any agency’s scale, the more likely it is to be treated as bad credit. Comparing options through bad credit loans can help you find lenders who consider more than the score alone.

What is a bad credit score out of 1,000?

A score out of 1,000 comes from Equifax, which rates you on a 0 to 1,000 scale. A score near the bottom of that range would be treated as poor or very poor. Equifax is only one of three agencies, though, so a low Equifax number does not necessarily mean every lender sees you the same way. It is worth checking Experian and TransUnion as well to get the full picture.

What is the lowest credit score possible?

The lowest credit score possible is 0. Your score cannot go below zero or turn negative with any UK agency. A score this low would be classed as very poor, but it is not permanent. Steps such as registering to vote, paying on time and correcting errors can all help lift a score from the bottom of the scale.

Is a poor credit score the same as a bad credit score?

In everyday use, yes. A poor credit score and a bad credit score both describe a rating in the lower part of an agency’s scale, where lenders are likely to see you as a higher risk. The agencies use different labels, but the meaning for borrowing is much the same.

Can I get a loan with a bad credit score?

It is possible. Some lenders specialise in applicants with a poor credit history and weigh up your wider circumstances rather than focusing on the number alone. As a broker, Sunny searches a panel of FCA-authorised lenders to find a suitable match, with a soft search that will not affect your score. We cannot guarantee approval, as that decision rests with the lender, but you can see your options with no obligation and no fee.

Does checking my own credit score lower it?

No. Checking your own score is recorded as a soft search, which is invisible to lenders and has no effect on your score. You can check as often as you like. Only hard searches, which happen when you formally apply for credit, can temporarily lower your score.

How quickly can I improve a bad credit score?

There is no set timeframe, as it depends on what is affecting your score. Some actions, like getting on the electoral roll or fixing an error, can show up within a month or two. Others take longer, since defaults remain on your report for six years. Our guide on how long does bad credit last explains the timings in more detail.

Why are my Experian, Equifax and TransUnion scores different?

Each agency holds slightly different data and uses its own scale and formula, so your three scores rarely match. Lenders do not all report to every agency, which means one file may include an account that another leaves out. The numbers look different partly because the scales differ, with Experian running to 1,250, Equifax to 1,000 and TransUnion to 710.

Related Guides

Want to understand more about credit scores and short-term borrowing? These guides are a good place to go next:

• How Long Does Bad Credit Last?
• Why Can’t I Get a Loan?
• No Credit Check Loans
• What Is an Instalment Loan?
• Bad Credit Loans

Representative example: Amount of credit: £1,000 for 18 months at £102.42 per month. Total amount repayable of £1,843.60. Interest: £843.60. Interest rate: 89% per annum (fixed). Representative 89% APR. Rates between 9.3% APR and 1,721% APR. Your no-obligation quote and APR will be based on your personal circumstances. People with a good credit score may have access to cheaper interest rates. Interest rates on short-term loans tend to be higher than those on traditional personal loans. Loan terms run from 3 to 36 months. Subject to the lender’s requirements and approval.

Sunny is a registered trading name of Upward Finance Limited, an Appointed Representative of Flux Funding Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. We are a credit broker, not a lender. We introduce customers to FCA-authorised lenders and do not make lending decisions. We never charge customers any fees for our service. Registered office: 7 Bell Yard, London, WC2A 2JR.

Warning: Late repayment can cause you serious money problems. For help, go to moneyhelper.org.uk