Mortgage with a low credit score: can you still get one?

If you've been turned down for a mortgage with low credit score, it can feel like the door's closed for good - but that's rarely true. Every credit reference agency scores you differently, and a lender's own view of your file can look very different to the number in your banking app.

A low credit score in the UK generally means your file falls into the lower bands used by Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion. Missed payments, defaults, County Court Judgments (CCJs), and high credit card utilisation are the most common causes.

These bands are a helpful guide, but they're not the full picture. UK mortgage lenders don't see your Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion score directly - each one builds its own internal scorecard, weighing your credit history alongside your income, deposit, and overall application. Two lenders can reach very different conclusions from the same credit file, which is exactly why a rejection from one bank doesn't rule out every lender.

You can check your own report for free with Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion before you apply. Our guide to adverse credit mortgages covers eligibility across missed payments, defaults, CCJs, IVAs, and bankruptcy in more detail.

Yes, you can get a mortgage with a low credit score in the UK. While many high-street banks use automated scorecards that reject applications below a set threshold, specialist lenders manually underwrite cases and assess your full circumstances rather than a single number.

The type and age of your adverse credit generally determines which lenders will consider you:

• Missed payments - one or two missed payments on a credit card or loan rarely rule you out, particularly if they happened more than 12 months ago.
• Defaults - a smaller, satisfied default becomes easier to mortgage against as it ages. Most specialist lenders want at least 2 years of a clean record since.
• County Court Judgments (CCJs) - a mortgage with a CCJ is achievable once the judgment is satisfied, typically 12 to 24 months old.
• Individual Voluntary Arrangements (IVAs) - most specialist lenders want an IVA discharged for 3 years or more before they'll consider an application.
• Bankruptcy - discharged bankruptcy generally needs 6 years or more behind you before mainstream criteria opens up, although some specialist lenders will consider shorter timeframes.

These are general guidelines rather than fixed rules. Many borrowers in situations like these have found a lender willing to work with them, provided the rest of their application - deposit, income, and affordability - is solid.

There's no universal minimum credit score for a mortgage in the UK. Every lender sets its own criteria, and the number that matters most isn't your Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion score - it's how that lender's internal scorecard reads your full credit file alongside your deposit and income.

What tends to matter more than the score itself is your loan-to-value (LTV). A larger deposit reduces the lender's risk and can open up options that wouldn't otherwise be available.

These figures are indicative, based on typical specialist lender criteria as of 2026. Your actual options depend on your full credit file, income, and deposit, so treat this table as a starting point rather than a guarantee. A mortgage with a CCJ, for example, depends heavily on whether the judgment has been satisfied and how long ago it was registered.

To put the percentages into pounds: an 85% LTV mortgage on a £250,000 property means a deposit of £37,500, while a 70% LTV mortgage on the same property means finding £75,000 upfront. See our guide to how much deposit do I need? for more examples across different property values.

Mortgage lenders price risk. If your credit file shows missed payments, a default, or a CCJ, a lender adjusts the rate it offers to account for the extra risk it's taking on. This is why two people borrowing the same amount at the same loan-to-value can be offered noticeably different rates depending on their credit history.

The gap between a mainstream rate and a specialist adverse credit rate is real, but it isn't permanent. Once your credit file has recovered and the adverse event has aged past a lender's threshold, you can often remortgage with bad credit onto a more competitive deal.

Specialist lenders may also ask for a larger deposit, charge a higher arrangement fee, or offer a shorter initial fixed period, so it's worth weighing the full cost of a deal rather than looking at the headline rate alone. Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage or any other debt secured on it.

Your credit score is only one part of a mortgage application. Lenders build a complete picture from several factors, and a weak score in one area can sometimes be offset by strength in another.

1. Deposit and loan-to-value - a larger deposit reduces the lender's risk and can open up options a smaller deposit wouldn't.
2. Income and employment type - stable, provable income reassures a lender, whether you're employed or self-employed.
3. Affordability and debt-to-income ratio - your existing debt commitments compared with your income matter as much as your credit score.
4. Type and age of adverse credit - a CCJ from last month carries far more weight than one satisfied five years ago.
5. Property type - non-standard construction or a short remaining lease can add complexity on top of adverse credit.
6. Electoral roll registration - being registered at your current address helps lenders verify your identity and can support your score.

If you have time before you need to apply, improving your credit score can widen your choice of lender and improve the rate you're offered. Here's where to start.

1. Register on the electoral roll - usually the fastest win, helping lenders verify your identity and address history.
2. Check all three credit reports for errors - a wrong account, an old address, or a default that's already been settled can drag your score down unfairly. You can check your file for free with Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion.
3. Pay down revolving credit - try to get credit card and overdraft balances below 25% of their limit. High utilisation signals reliance on credit to lenders.
4. Set up direct debits for every payment - a single missed payment can set your progress back by months.
5. Avoid new credit applications - hold off on new credit cards, loans, or finance agreements for at least 3 months before you apply. Hard searches stack up and can look like financial pressure to a lender.
6. Close unused credit accounts - old store cards or credit lines you don't use can still count against your available credit.
7. Clear any Buy Now Pay Later balances - BNPL use is increasingly visible on credit files and is being flagged more closely by mortgage lenders.

Meaningful improvement typically takes 3 to 6 months. If you need a mortgage sooner, a specialist broker can find lenders who will consider your current profile rather than waiting for your score to recover.

If revolving credit balances are a big part of what's dragging your score down, it might be worth looking at debt consolidation loans to bring everything under one, more manageable payment. Think carefully before securing any debt against your home, and speak to an advisor to weigh up whether this is right for you. If you're struggling with existing debt more generally, Citizens Advice offers free, independent guidance.

Lenders broadly fall into three groups when it comes to adverse credit, and knowing which is which can save you a wasted application.

• Specialist lenders - names like Kensington Mortgages, Pepper Money, Precise Mortgages, Together, and Bluestone accept various types of adverse credit and use manual underwriting rather than automated scorecards.
• Building societies - societies such as Skipton, Leeds, and Coventry tend to take a more flexible, case-by-case view than the big banks, particularly for borderline applications.
• High-street banks - most require a clean credit history for the last 2 to 3 years and rely on automated scorecards, which is why many adverse credit applications are rejected before a human ever reviews them.

We don't publish specific rates or criteria for named lenders here, as these change frequently. An advisor who compares a wide range of lenders can tell you which specialist lenders currently accept your profile, including several that don't take applications directly from the public.

Yes, a mortgage broker is worth using if you have low credit, mainly because a broker can check your eligibility with multiple lenders without leaving a mark on your credit file.

• Soft-search eligibility checks protect your credit score while you explore what's realistically available.
• We compare a wide range of lenders, including specialist lenders not available direct to the public.
• Manual underwriting submissions are prepared with supporting evidence, presenting your circumstances clearly.
• Access expert advice with no pressure to proceed, so you can weigh up your options before committing to an application.

You can verify any broker's or lender's authorisation on the Financial Conduct Authority Register. Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage or any other debt secured on it.

If you're feeling overwhelmed by your financial situation, free and impartial guidance is available from MoneyHelper at moneyhelper.org.uk or by calling 0800 138 7777.