Credit Score Improvement Plan
A personalised action plan to improve your UK credit score over 3–12 months.
For: Anyone who has been refused credit, has a thin credit file, or wants to improve their score before a major application.
- Score improvement timescales are estimates — every situation is different
- Actions that help one person's score may not help another's
- Different lenders use different scoring criteria — improving your score does not guarantee acceptance
- There is no quick fix for a bad credit score. Be wary of companies that claim to 'fix' your credit for a fee.
When to use it
Use this plan if you have been refused credit, have a thin or limited credit file, or want to reduce the risk of avoidable problems before a future application. The plan organises practical actions by likely impact and typical timeline.
What it cannot tell you
This plan cannot guarantee your score will improve or that you will be accepted for credit. Different lenders use different criteria, and your credit scores vary across Experian, Equifax and TransUnion.
Improvements to your credit file take time. Most meaningful changes take three to six months to appear; some items (like defaults or CCJs) can stay on your file for several years.
Things to be cautious about
- Companies that charge a fee to “repair” or “fix” your credit cannot do anything you cannot do yourself for free
- Applying for multiple credit products in a short period can make your situation worse
- Checking your own credit report does not affect your score