What is a good or average credit score? | Barclaycard (2024)

It pays to know your credit score, it's your financial footprint.

Why your credit score matters

There are real benefits to staying on top of your credit score.

That’s because a strong credit score can translate into real perks, like access to a wider range of products and services including loans, credit cards and mortgages. You could also enjoy better interest rates and more generous credit limits. Meanwhile, if your credit score isn’t quite where you want it to be, knowing the score is the first step to improving it.

Either way, it pays to know your credit score. It’s your financial footprint – the way companies decide how financially reliable you are. A higher credit score means lenders see you as lower risk.

Checking your credit score is free – and it’s your right

You have the legal right to check your credit report for free. What’s more, it could be done in a few quick steps. That way, if any mistakes have crept into your credit file, you can catch them and have them removed. Here’s how to check your credit score.

How does your credit score compare?

What is a good or average credit score? | Barclaycard (1)

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Most of the top credit reference agencies have five categories for credit scores: excellent, good, fair, poor and very poor. Each creditreference agency (CRA) uses a different numerical scale to determine your credit score – which means each CRA will give you a different credit score. However, you’ll probably fall into one category with all the agencies, since they all base theirscore on your financial history.

So if one agency gives you a ‘good’ score, the others probably will as well. Here’s what a ‘good’ or ‘fair’ credit score looks like from each of the UK’s three largest CRAs:

Credit Score

Experian

Equifax

TransUnion

Fair

721-880

380-419

566-603

Good

881-960

420-465

604-627

Excellent

961-999

466-700

628-710

A fair, good or excellent Experian Credit Score

Experian is the largest CRA in the UK. Their scores range from 0-999. A credit score of 721-880 is considered fair. A score of 881-960 is considered good. A score of 961-999 is considered excellent(reference:https://www.experian.co.uk/consumer/guides/good-credit-score.html).

A fair, good or excellent TransUnion Credit Score

TransUnion (formerly Callcredit)is the UK’s second largest CRA, and has scores ranging from 0-710. A credit score of 566-603 is considered fair. A credit score of 604-627 is good. A score of 628-710 is considered excellent(reference:https://www.finder.com/uk/transunion).

A fair, good or excellent Equifax Credit Score

Equifax scores range from 0-700. 380-419 is considered a fair score. A score of 420-465 is considered good. A score of 466-700 is considered excellent (reference:https://www.finder.com/uk/equifax).

To get a peek at the other possible credit scores, you can go to 'What is a bad credit score'.

What a fair, good or excellent credit score means for you

The better your credit score, the more choices you’ll have when it comes to applying for a loan or credit card. That’s the bottom line.

If you have a fair credit score and are approved for a credit card, you may be offered a slightly higher interest rate. Your initial credit limit may also be on the lower side. But if you make your payments on time and demonstrate financial stability, you might be able to have your limit increased after 6-12 months.

If you have a good credit score, your chances of being approved for loans and credit cards increases. You’re also more likely to be offered a more competitive interest rate, as well as a more generous credit limit.

Finally, an excellent credit score makes borrowing money and getting credit cards much easier. It’s also more likely to get you the best available interest rates and generous credit limits.

How your credit score is determined

All the leading credit rating agencies rely on similar criteria for deciding your credit score. Mostly, it comes down to your financial history – how you’ve managed money and debt in the past. So if you take steps to improve your score with one agency, you’re likely to see improvements right across the board.

Just remember that it may take some time for your credit report to be updated and those improvements to show up with a higher credit score. So the sooner you start, the sooner you’ll see a change. And the first step to improving your score is understanding how it’s determined.

Here are some of the factors that can harm your credit score:

  • a history of late or missed payments
  • going over your credit limit
  • defaulting on credit agreements
  • bankruptcies, insolvencies and County Court Judgements (CCJs) on your credit history
  • making too many credit applications in a short space of time
  • joint accounts with someone with a bad credit record
  • frequently withdrawing cash from your credit card
  • errors or fraudulent activity on your credit report that’s not been detected
  • not being on the electoral roll
  • moving house too often.

If you want to dig a little deeper into how your credit score is set, 'The truth about your credit score' will provide even more insights. No matter how good or bad your credit score is, there’s often things you can do right now to improve your credit score. Some are free and require just a few steps, like putting yourself on the electoral roll. Others will take a bit longer, like changing the way you manage your bills.

What's next?

Now that you know what your credit score means, here are some handy tips for improving it.

How to improve your credit score

What is a good or average credit score? | Barclaycard (2024)

FAQs

What is a good or average credit score? | Barclaycard? ›

A credit score of 721-880 is considered fair. A score of 881-960 is considered good.

What is a good credit score by age? ›

How Credit Scores Breakdown by Generation
Average FICO 8 Score by Generation
Generation20222023
Generation Z (ages 18-26)679 - Good680 - Good
Millennials (27-42)687 - Good690 - Good
Generation X (43-58)707 - Good709 - Good
2 more rows

What is a normal FICO score? ›

For a score with a range between 300 and 850, a credit score of 700 or above is generally considered good. A score of 800 or above on the same range is considered to be excellent. Most consumers have credit scores that fall between 600 and 750. In 2023, the average FICO® Score in the U.S. reached 715.

What is considered a really good credit score? ›

Although ranges vary depending on the credit scoring model, generally credit scores from 580 to 669 are considered fair; 670 to 739 are considered good; 740 to 799 are considered very good; and 800 and up are considered excellent.

Is a 900 credit score possible? ›

Highlights: While older models of credit scores used to go as high as 900, you can no longer achieve a 900 credit score. The highest score you can receive today is 850. Anything above 800 is considered an excellent credit score.

How rare is an 800 credit score? ›

22% of U.S. Consumers Have Exceptional Credit
Percentage of Consumers by FICO® Score 8 Range
RangePercentage of Consumers
Good (670-739)21.6%
Very good (740-799)28.1%
Exceptional (800-850)21.9%
2 more rows
Apr 17, 2024

How rare is an 820 credit score? ›

Your score falls in the range of scores, from 800 to 850, that is considered Exceptional. Your FICO® Score and is well above the average credit score. Consumers with scores in this range may expect easy approvals when applying for new credit. 21% of all consumers have FICO® Scores in the Exceptional range.

What is a good credit score to buy a house? ›

You'll typically need a credit score of 620 to finance a home purchase. However, some lenders may offer mortgage loans to borrowers with scores as low as 500. Whether you qualify for a specific loan type also depends on personal factors like your debt-to-income ratio (DTI), loan-to-value ratio (LTV) and income.

Can I buy a house with a 718 credit score? ›

Depending on the type of loan you are interested in borrowing, yes. Many conventional loans allow you to borrow with a ”fair” credit score of 620 or higher, though your interest rate may be higher than it would be with a higher credit score.

What is a good credit score to buy a car? ›

Your credit score is a major factor in whether you'll be approved for a car loan. Some lenders use specialized credit scores, such as a FICO Auto Score. In general, you'll need at least prime credit, meaning a credit score of 661 or up, to get a loan at a good interest rate.

What habit lowers your credit score? ›

Making a Late Payment

Every late payment shows up on your credit score and having a history of late payments combined with closed accounts will negatively impact your credit for quite some time. All you have to do to break this habit is make your payments on time.

What is the highest credit score in the world? ›

In most cases, the highest credit score possible is 850. You can achieve the highest credit score by taking a variety of important steps, but, for many people, it's a difficult task considering the range of factors that dictate the highest credit score possible.

Does checking credit score affect it? ›

Checking your credit score will not have an affect on it. Requesting a copy of your credit report or checking your credit score is known as a “soft inquiry.” Soft inquiries are not visible to potential lenders when they view your credit report; however, they may remain visible to you on your report for 12 to 24 months.

What is a FICO score vs credit score? ›

A credit score is a three-digit number that measures your financial health and how well you manage credit and debt. FICO scores are a specific type of score that lenders can use when making borrowing decisions. The FICO credit scoring system is the most widely used credit score.

Which person is most likely to have the best credit score? ›

And while it's not shown in the above table, those with perfect credit scores also have lengthy credit histories. According to Experian data, baby boomers and other older consumers comprise 66% of the consumers with 850 FICO scores, and Generation X another 26%.

What's a bad credit score? ›

Poor: 300-579. Fair: 580-669. Good: 670-739. Very Good: 740-799.

What age should you have a 700 credit score? ›

Average FICO® Score By Age Group In 2022
Generation Z (18 – 25)679
Generation X (42 – 57)706
Baby Boomers (58 – 76)742
Silent Generation (77+)760
1 more row
Sep 29, 2023

What percentage of people have a credit score over 800? ›

Your 800 FICO® Score falls in the range of scores, from 800 to 850, that is categorized as Exceptional. Your FICO® Score is well above the average credit score, and you are likely to receive easy approvals when applying for new credit. 21% of all consumers have FICO® Scores in the Exceptional range.

Is a 700 credit score good for a 20 year old? ›

So, given the fact that the average credit score for people in their 20s is 630 and a “good” credit score is typically around 700, it's safe to say a good credit score in your 20s is in the high 600s or low 700s.

What is the most common credit score? ›

The average credit score in the United States is 698, based on VantageScore® data from February 2021. It's a myth that you only have one credit score. In fact, you have many credit scores.

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