Poor credit scores deter one in 10 Brits from applying for mortgage

Poor credit scores have deterred one in 10 Brits from applying for a mortgage, according to new research by The Mortgage Lender (TML).

The research also suggested evidence of a limited understanding of credit scores among the population. Nearly two-thirds (62%) of the 2,000 UK adults surveyed for the research said they did not know their credit score, with half (50%) of those who plan to buy a property in the next year unsure about their score.

In addition to not knowing their score, many were unsure how to improve it, nor did they appear to have much interest in doing so. Nearly two-thirds (60%) of respondents said they had never taken steps to improve their credit rating, while a further 13% said they weren’t clear of what steps they should be taking to improve their credit situation.

Fewer than one in five (18%) of those surveyed said they had taken steps to improve their credit score.

The Mortgage Lender CEO Peter Beaumont said: “The number of people who don’t know their credit score, despite wanting to make big purchases like buying a house, is a worrying trend. It shows there is a need for education among UK adults on what their credit score is, how it could impact major buying decisions such as home buying, and how to improve it.”

    Share Story:

Recent Stories


FREE E-NEWS SIGN UP

Subscribe to our newsletter to receive breaking news and other industry announcements by email.

  Please tick here to confirm you are happy to receive third party promotions from carefully selected partners.


NEW BUILD IN FOCUS - NEW EPISODE OF THE MORTGAGE INSIDER PODCAST, OUT NOW
Figures from the National House-Building Council saw Q1 2025 register a 36% increase in new homes built across the UK compared with the same period last year, representing a striking development for the first-time buyer market. But with the higher cost of building, ongoing planning challenges and new and changing regulations, how sustainable is this growth? And what does it mean for brokers?

The role of the bridging market and technology usage in the industry
Content editor, Dan McGrath, sat down with chief operating officer at Black & White Bridging, Damien Druce, and head of development finance at Empire Global Finance, Pete Williams, to explore the role of the bridging sector, the role of AI across the industry and how the property market has fared in the Labour Government’s first year in office.


Does the North-South divide still exist in the UK housing market?
What do the most expensive parts of the country reveal about shifting demand? And why is the Manchester housing market now outperforming many southern counterparts?



In this episode of the Barclays Mortgage Insider Podcast, host Phil Spencer is joined by Lucian Cook, Head of Research at Savills, and Ross Jones, founder of Home Financial and Evolve Commercial Finance, to explore how regional trends are redefining the UK housing, mortgage and buy-to-let markets.

The new episode of The Mortgage Insider podcast, out now
Regional housing markets now matter more than ever. While London and the Southeast still tend to dominate the headlines from a house price and affordability perspective, much of the growth in rental yields and buyer demand is coming from other parts of the UK.

In this episode of the Barclays Mortgage Insider Podcast, host Phil Spencer is joined by Lucian Cook, Head of Research at Savills, and Ross Jones, founder of Home Financial and Evolve Commercial Finance.