Free Credit Score

Credit Monitor is 100% free to use. We won’t charge you for checking your report.

Credit Monitor gives you free access to your credit report and credit score, meaning you can look at it as often as you want. Your credit score and the information in your report will be updated monthly, so it’s advisable to check it regularly, in the same way as you would your bank statements or utility bills.

Your credit report refreshes on a monthly basis so it’s a good idea to keep checking it regularly so you can ensure that the data in it is accurate.

Each credit reference agency has its own way of calculating a credit score based on the information it holds, which means your credit score can’t be compared between different agencies. TransUnion has a maximum score of 710.

Your credit score is a rating based on your financial history - how well you have managed debt and other financial accounts in the past. Your score is not fixed – it can go up or down, depending on how you manage your accounts. 

When you apply for credit, such as a loan, mortgage or credit card, your credit score is one of the things the lender will take into consideration when deciding whether to accept or decline your application. It will also influence the deal or interest rate the lender offers you. 

Having a good credit score can give you better options when it comes to applying for credit – and it's worth noting that your score can affect more than just your finances. 

Because your credit score is a gauge of how responsibly you manage your financial accounts, a high score will give a lender confidence that you’ll pay back whatever you borrow. As well as improving your chances of being accepted for credit, a good credit score also means you have a better chance of getting more competitive interest rates on loans and credit cards.  

If you know your credit score, you can make sure it’s at the best possible level. By checking your score for free with Credit Monitor, you’ll know where you stand when it comes to applying for a credit card, loan, or even a mortgage. If you have a good score, we can show you what you’re doing right so you can keep it that way. If yours is lower than you’d like, we’ll show you what you can do to help build it up. 

A soft credit search is a check on your financial history that won’t leave a mark on your credit rating. Soft searches are used so you can get an idea of the products you are likely to be approved for before making an application.  

When you make the application a ‘hard credit search’ will be undertaken. While they are necessary to be accepted for credit cards, loans and mortgages, too many searches within a short period can damage your credit score. This is why a soft credit search can be useful. 

A good credit score is a credit score that will allow you to take advantage of better deals on credit than those with a medium or poor credit score.  

While scores differ between credit agencies – and financial product providers use their own scoring system – you can get a good steer by using MoneySuperMarket’s Credit Monitor – which uses the TransUnion agency.  

TransUnion has a maximum score of 710 and anything over 566 is rated ‘pretty good’. Our guide on What is a good credit score? gives more information. 

As with a good credit score, each credit rating agency and product provider will have their own range of credit scores and they all differ slightly.  

Using MoneySuperMarket’s Credit Monitor can give you a good guide. Credit Monitor uses the TransUnion scoring system, which goes up to 710. A score of 550 or lower would be considered a low credit score. 

If you can't find what you're looking for here, check out our full list of Frequently Asked Questions.

If your credit score isn’t as high as you’d like – don’t panic. It’s not the end of the world, and there are lots of things you can do to give it a boost.

The electoral roll is a list of the names and addresses of everyone who’s registered to vote  in the UK. When you register, your details will be recorded on your credit report, and this helps lenders to confirm your name and address. Your score is likely to go up as a result of this.

One of the things that affects your credit score is how reliable you are when it comes to paying your bills. You can give your credit score a boost by making sure you pay all your bills on time every month. This covers all your monthly bills, including your utilities, as well as your credit card and loan repayments.

It may be easier said than done, but paying off more than the minimum payment on your credit cards each month shows lenders that you’re managing your debt well. If you’re seen to be handling your credit responsibly, your score will go up and lenders will be more likely to see you as a reliable potential customer.

If you’ve got a credit card that you’re no longer using, it could have a negative effect on your credit score. This is because having a large amount of available credit could make lenders think you can’t handle more. So, it might be a good idea to close any unused credit cards or store cards. Remember it’s not enough to simply cut up the card – you’ll need to contact the provider to close the account.

You may find that your credit score drops temporarily when you close an account like this, particularly if it’s an account you’ve had for a long time. This is nothing to worry about, and your score will build up as you continue to manage your money responsibly.

It’s not a good idea to apply for several credit cards or loans in a short space of time. Each time you apply for credit, it will leave a footprint on your credit file. If there are lots of credit application searches close together on your file, it can look like you’re desperate for credit, which puts lenders off and negatively impacts your score. So, try to space out your applications if you can, and only apply for something if you really need to, and can afford the repayments.

Keep in mind that your score gets updated on a monthly basis, so you may not see an immediate change once you’ve taken some of these actions. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t see a swift increase – managing your finances responsibly over time will result in a healthier credit score and give you better financial options overall.

One of the things that affects your credit score is how reliable you are when it comes to paying your bills. You can give your credit score a boost by making sure you pay all your bills on time every month. This covers all your monthly bills, including your utilities, as well as your credit card and loan repayments.

Credit Monitor lets you see your credit score and report for free, and gives you personalised tips on how to improve it. If you are thinking of applying for a credit card, Credit Monitor will show you credit cards that you are likely to be accepted for. Being able to clearly see and monitor your score will allow you to make an educated decision if and when you want to apply for credit.