--- title: "Where a 600 credit score sits in the UK" description: "600 sits just under halfway on Experian's scale and a little over halfway on Equifax's and TransUnion's. Lenders never see your score anyway. They see your report." canonical: "https://totalcreditcheck.co.uk/help-centre/articles/where-a-600-credit-score-sits-in-the-uk/" topic: "Credit reporting foundations" published: 2025-08-01 updated: 2026-04-07 author: "Harry Austin" publisher: "Total Credit Check (Piomes Ltd)" --- # Where a 600 credit score sits in the UK A score of 600 can mean quite different things depending on where you saw it. Here's how to read it, and what to do next. **The short version:** 600 sits just under halfway on Experian's 0–1,250 scale and a little over halfway on Equifax's and TransUnion's: a decent foundation with room to grow, though borrowing amounts may be low and interest rates high. But lenders never see your score anyway. They see your report. A score in the 600s tends to prompt the same question: is that any good? It sits in the middle, which is the least satisfying answer possible — so here is what it actually means in practice, and what shifts it. ## There isn't one credit score One of the most common misconceptions about credit health is that there's a single score everyone uses. In reality the UK has three main credit reference agencies — Experian, Equifax and TransUnion — and [each uses its own scoring system](https://totalcreditcheck.co.uk/help-centre/articles/why-your-score-varies-between-agencies/). So 600 could mean very different things depending on where you saw it. On Experian's scale, which runs to 1,250, 600 is just under halfway. On Equifax's (to 1,000) and TransUnion's (to 999) it is a little over halfway. Which band that puts you in depends on the agency, and each publishes its bands on its own website. ## So is 600 good? Wherever it sits, 600 is not a bad score, but there's potential to improve it. There's more on [what counts as a good credit score](https://totalcreditcheck.co.uk/help-centre/articles/what-counts-as-a-good-credit-score/). Think of 600 as a working base rather than a problem. Lenders will deal with you; they will simply price the uncertainty in. Expect a modest opening limit and an interest rate above the headline offers you see advertised. ## What lenders actually look at Here's the part worth holding onto: **lenders don't see your credit score.** They see your credit report — the detailed history of your borrowing and repayment behaviour — and then apply their own criteria to decide whether to approve you. Which means two people with an identical score can get completely different answers, depending on what's on their reports and what that particular lender is looking for. So rather than fixating on the number, focus on the story your report tells. ## Six things that could lift a 600 score **1. Check your report for errors.** Mistakes happen — a wrong address, a payment marked late when it wasn't, an account you don't recognise. All of them can drag your score down. Monitor your report regularly, and if something looks wrong, [dispute it](https://totalcreditcheck.co.uk/help-centre/guides/how-to-dispute-credit-report-errors/). **2. Register to vote.** Being on the Electoral Roll helps lenders confirm your details and address, and it improves your score. Even if you never intend to vote, it's [worth registering](https://totalcreditcheck.co.uk/help-centre/guides/why-the-electoral-roll-matters/) and keeping your details current. **3. Watch your credit usage.** Avoid using most of your available credit — lenders can read it as over-dependence, or as taking on more than you can afford, which makes you look like a higher risk. Keeping utilisation around **30% of your limit** works in your favour. **4. Pay on time.** Even a single missed payment has an impact. Direct debits are the simplest way to stay on track. And there's good news: the effect of missed payments fades over time, and they drop off your report entirely six years after the account closure date. **5. Be deliberate about applications.** Every time you apply, [a hard search](https://totalcreditcheck.co.uk/help-centre/guides/the-searches-on-your-credit-report/) of your report is recorded. Too many in a short window can suggest financial difficulty, or that you're taking on large amounts of credit from multiple sources you can't afford. Space them out where you can. **6. Build your credit history.** A track record of positive repayments shows lenders you can manage credit, which makes you look less risky. Just remember to only take on credit you can afford — there are [plenty of other ways to improve](https://totalcreditcheck.co.uk/help-centre/articles/12-practical-steps-to-a-stronger-score/). ## You're more than your score We don't believe in "bad" credit scores. Some sit at the lower end of the scale and need a bit of care, but there are always steps that move things in the right direction. It might take time, but it's progress worth making — and everyone's credit health journey looks different. Whether you're rebuilding after a rough patch, just starting out, or simply curious about where you stand, the aim is to make sense of your file and build habits that hold up long term. A score in the 600s is a decent starting point, but it isn't the full story. Because each agency scores differently, the bigger picture is what counts — and checking all three is how you spot issues, track progress and make informed decisions. ## The key things to remember - 600 means different things at different agencies, because each has its own range. - At 600, approval is realistic, but expect a lower limit and a higher rate. - Lenders assess your report, not your score, against their own criteria. - Keep credit utilisation around 30%. - Missed payments fade over time and clear six years after account closure. - Space out credit applications, since each records a hard search.