How Often Does Credit Score Update

How Often Does Credit Score Update

Your credit score is one of the most important numbers in your financial life. It affects whether you can get approved for a mortgage, credit card, personal loan or even a mobile phone contract. But credit scores aren’t static — they change over time based on how you manage your credit accounts. So, how often does your credit score update in the UK?

The short answer is: your credit score typically updates once a month, depending on when lenders report your account information to the credit reference agencies. However, there are a few other factors that influence how and when changes are reflected in your score.

In this article, we’ll explain how often your credit score updates, how credit reports are refreshed, and what you can do to track your score and improve it over time.

Who Updates Your Credit Score

Your credit score is calculated by one of the three main UK credit reference agencies:

• Experian (score range 0–999)

• Equifax (score range 0–1000)

• TransUnion (score range 0–710)

Each agency collects data from banks, credit card companies, lenders, utility providers and mobile networks. This information is then used to build your credit report, which forms the basis of your credit score.

The credit score shown by platforms like ClearScore (Equifax), Credit Karma (TransUnion), or Experian’s free service is calculated using your latest credit report data.

How Often Do Credit Scores Update

In general:

• Credit reports update every 4 to 6 weeks, depending on when your lenders send new data

• Credit scores update shortly after the report updates — usually monthly

• Different accounts (e.g. credit cards, loans, mortgages) may report on different days each month

This means your score can change once a month, or more frequently if multiple accounts update at different times.

For example, if your credit card statement is generated on the 15th of each month, your lender may send the updated balance and payment status to the credit agencies a few days later. That information is then reflected in your report and credit score.

What Triggers a Credit Score Update

Your score may update when:

• A new payment is made on a credit card, loan or mortgage

• Your credit card balance increases or decreases

• A new account is opened or closed

• A hard search is performed by a lender

• You’re added to or removed from the electoral roll

• A default, missed payment, CCJ, or other negative entry is recorded

• Your credit limit changes or a financial link (e.g. joint account) is added

Keep in mind that not all lenders report in real time, and each lender has their own update cycle — some report weekly, some monthly, and others less frequently.

How to Check When Your Score Has Been Updated

You can check your score for free using services such as:

• Experian (via their website or app) – updates weekly

• ClearScore (Equifax) – updates every week (historically monthly, now more frequent)

• Credit Karma (TransUnion) – updates every week

• TotallyMoney – also provides free updates using TransUnion data

Each of these platforms will tell you when your credit score was last updated and when the next update is expected.

Can Your Credit Score Change Daily

In practice, your credit score doesn’t change every day because lenders don’t report to the credit agencies daily. However, if multiple lenders report changes at different times throughout the month, your credit score could change several times in a single month.

That said, checking your score every day is unnecessary. Weekly or monthly monitoring is usually sufficient to track trends and catch potential issues.

Real-World Example

Sarah pays off her credit card in full each month. Her card provider issues statements on the 20th and reports to credit agencies on the 25th. Her ClearScore app updates every Sunday. Around the first week of each month, Sarah sees her updated score, which often improves slightly due to her low credit utilisation and on-time payments.

Her friend James missed a loan repayment in April. That missed payment appeared on his credit report about four weeks later and caused a drop in his score, which lasted for several months.

How Long Do Credit Changes Take to Show Up

Here’s a general timeline for how quickly different credit events appear on your credit report:

Credit Even Time to Show on Report

Credit card payment made 4–6 weeks

Loan or mortgage payment 4–6 weeks

New credit application Instantly (hard search)

New account opened Within 1 month

Missed payment 4–8 weeks

Address or electoral roll update 4–6 weeks

It’s worth noting that major improvements, such as building a positive payment history or reducing credit utilisation, may take several months to show a sustained increase in your credit score.

Tips for Managing and Improving Your Credit Score

• Always pay on time — missed payments stay on your file for 6 years

• Keep your credit utilisation below 30% of your total limit

• Register on the electoral roll to boost your score and verify your address

• Limit credit applications to avoid too many hard searches

• Check your credit reports regularly for errors or signs of fraud

• Keep older accounts open, where appropriate, to show long credit history

Final Thought

Your credit score typically updates once a month, based on when your lenders report new information to the credit reference agencies. While the score may fluctuate a few times throughout the month if different accounts report at different times, it’s the overall pattern of responsible borrowing and timely repayments that matters most.

By staying on top of your credit report, using credit wisely, and paying bills on time, you can maintain a healthy score and improve it gradually over time — no matter when it updates.