TransUnion has confirmed it will change its UK credit scoring model, altering the score range and creditworthiness bands from late September 2026.
According to the announcement, the overhaul will change both the numerical range of the score and the bands used to describe creditworthiness, with some consumers potentially seeing their rating move as a result.
TransUnion's current scoring system runs from 0 to 710, with creditworthiness bands ranging from ‘very poor’ to ‘excellent’. Under the new model, the score range will extend to 0 to 999. The lowest band, currently covering scores of 0 to 550 and labelled ‘very poor’, will be renamed ‘very low’ and will apply to scores of 0 to 487. At the top end, the ‘excellent’ band, currently set at 628 to 710, will require a score of 786 to 999.
According to TransUnion, the new system will be introduced gradually between late September 2026 and June 2027. During this transition period, some consumers may see two different TransUnion scores simultaneously, depending on the platform or service through which they access their credit information.
In addition, TransUnion has estimated the impact of the change across its UK consumer base: 58% of consumers are expected to see no change to their existing band, 36% are expected to move into a higher band, and 6% are expected to move into a lower band.
No change to underlying credit data
TransUnion has stated that the information shared with lenders and other organisations about a consumer's credit history will remain unchanged under the new model. The agency has said the update should therefore not affect lending decisions, since banks and lenders base credit, loan, and mortgage decisions on a consumer's credit history and repayment behaviour rather than on the score itself.
The UK credit reference market includes three main agencies (TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax), each of which applies its own methodology to calculate a consumer's score. As a result, a single consumer typically holds a different score with each agency.
Broader data inputs
TransUnion has said the revised score incorporates a wider set of data inputs than the current model, including how account balances change over time and patterns of credit card usage. Madhu Kejriwal, Chief Executive Officer for TransUnion in the UK, said the update is intended to make the score clearer and more closely aligned with how lenders assess consumers, while giving people more practical insight into their credit health. Moreover, James Robinson, Managing Director of Consumer Interactive for TransUnion in the UK, said the change aims to reduce consumer confusion around credit scores, noting that many consumers assume the score they see is identical to the one used by lenders, and that the new model draws on a broader set of behaviours over time rather than a single snapshot.
