Why "what score do I need" has no answer
The number you see on a credit app is that agency's interpretation of your file. Lenders do not see it. They pull your file and apply their own scorecard, weighted towards whatever matters to their business.
This is why one lender declines and another approves the same person on the same day. It is also why a broker with a panel is useful: rather than guessing which lender fits, the application goes where the profile fits.
What lenders actually look at
- Payment history — whether you have paid other credit agreements on time, and how recently anything went wrong.
- Affordability — your income against your existing commitments. A strong file will not carry an unaffordable payment.
- Stability — time at address, time in employment, and whether you are on the electoral roll.
- Existing credit — how much you already owe, and how much of your available credit you are using.
- Public records — CCJs, defaults, bankruptcies and IVAs, and how old they are.
Recency matters more than severity for most lenders. A default from five years ago with a clean record since reads very differently to a missed payment last month.
Soft search vs hard search
A soft search checks your eligibility without leaving a footprint other lenders can see. It does not affect your credit score. A hard search is recorded on your file and is visible to other lenders for a period.
Several hard searches in a short window can read as someone applying everywhere, which lenders treat as a risk signal. This is the practical argument for checking eligibility first and applying once, in the right place.
Improving your position before you apply
If you are not in a rush, a few months of housekeeping can make a real difference to what is available to you.
- Register on the electoral roll at your current address.
- Check your file with all three agencies and dispute anything that is wrong.
- Bring credit card balances down — utilisation is weighted heavily.
- Avoid new credit applications in the run-up.
- Make sure every existing commitment is paid on time, without exception.
If your credit is impaired
Finance is often still available. Lenders that specialise in impaired credit price for the additional risk, so rates are higher, and a deposit will usually help.
What matters is that the payment is genuinely affordable. A finance agreement you cannot maintain makes the underlying problem worse, and any responsible broker should tell you so.