Business credit scores explained: what’s a good score

Your business credit score can shape the finance available to you, including what you're offered, at what rate and how quickly a lender says yes.

A good score is not just about qualifying for finance, though that's usually the first thing businesses think of. Around 50% of smaller businesses used external finance in Q3 2025, according to the British Business Bank, showing how important access to credit can be for smaller businesses. 

This guide explains business credit scores, including what a good score looks like across the UK's main credit reference agencies (CRA), what it means for your business and how to strengthen a weaker one.

What is a good business credit score?

There's no single number that counts as a good business credit score in the UK. Each CRA uses its own scale, so "good" depends on which one you're looking at. 

On Experian's widely used 0 to 100 business scale, a score of 81 or above is generally considered good. In practice, "good" simply means sitting in the low-risk tiers of whichever agency's scale a lender or supplier is checking.

This guide covers what counts as a good score on the UK's main business CRAs, what a strong score actually gets you, and what to do if yours falls short.

Why there’s no one version of ‘good’

Each CRA calculates its score differently, using its own model and its own mix of payment data, public records and company information. Lenders may then apply their own internal scoring criteria on top of whatever a CRA reports. So a score is a useful guide to your business's financial standing rather than a guarantee of approval or a fixed pass mark.

This also means the same business can look slightly different depending on which agency a lender or supplier pulls a report from. Checking more than one CRA gives a fuller picture than relying on a single score.

Business credit score ranges by agency

Here's how the UK's main business credit reference agencies assess business creditworthiness, including the scores, ranges and risk bands they publish.

These are business scales, which are separate from personal credit scales. They use very different ranges and shouldn't be confused with the figures below.

Experian (0–100)

Experian's business score, calculated through its Commercial Delphi model, runs from 0 to 100.

Experian's own guidance breaks this into eight bands, as follows:

Scores of 81 to 90 are classified as low risk, while 91 to 100 are very low risk.

Equifax

Equifax provides business data, characteristics and scores that lenders and suppliers can use to assess business customers through products such as its Commercial Credit Reports. 

Unlike Experian and Creditsafe, Equifax does not publish a simple numerical business score range or risk bands on its UK business pages.

Its consumer credit score, which runs from 0 to 1,000, is separate from its business scoring and should not be used to assess a company's business credit score.

Creditsafe

Creditsafe's business credit score is scored out of 100, with 0 being very high risk and 100 being very low risk.

Creditsafe's reports include recommended credit and contract limits, while its Days Beyond Terms (DBT) measure shows how late a company typically pays invoices compared with others in the same industry.

If you're unsure how to interpret your own score, whichever agency you’re with, our guide to understanding your business credit report explains what to look for and how to make sense of the information.

What a “good” score means for your business

A good score is not just about qualifying for finance, though that's usually the first thing businesses think of. 

A strong business credit score can improve your chances of getting credit on better terms. Lenders may see your business as lower risk, which can lead to:

• Better approval odds for small business loans, credit cards and overdrafts

• More competitive rates

• Higher credit limits

It also shapes how suppliers and customers see you. A strong score can help you secure better trade-credit terms, such as paying invoices 30 or 60 days after receiving goods, rather than upfront. This matters because more than 1.5 million UK businesses, or 28% of businesses, are affected by late payments each year. 

Some business customers run credit checks on their suppliers too, so a healthy score can support new contracts as well as new finance.

What’s a bad business credit score?

On most agencies' scales, the lower bands (Experian's below 40, for example) signal higher risk. 

A poor score doesn't rule out finance altogether, but it typically means stricter terms, which may mean higher rates, lower limits, requests for additional information or a personal guarantee.

The good news is that a low score isn't fixed. It can be improved over time through consistent, responsible financial behaviour, including paying bills and credit agreements on time and keeping your company details up to date with Companies House.

For practical steps, see our guide on how to improve your business credit score.

How your score affects finance with Funding Circle

A good business credit score can support access to finance, but it's not the only factor Funding Circle considers. 

Turnover, trading history and affordability also form part of the assessment, so a business with a middling score may still be eligible for finance if its wider financial position is strong.

Checking your eligibility with Funding Circle uses a soft search, which doesn't affect your credit score. You can check your eligibility in 30 seconds online.

FAQs

What is a good business credit score on Experian?

On Experian's 0 to 100 business scale, a score of around 80 or above is generally considered good, with 81 to 90 classified as low risk and 91 to 100 as very low risk.

Is there a single good UK business credit score?

No. Each agency uses its own scale and lenders apply their own scoring on top, so what counts as "good" varies by agency.

Do I need a good score to get a business loan?

A good score helps, but business lenders also weigh turnover, trading history and affordability, so it isn't the only factor in a decision.

How do I find out my business credit score?

You can check with the UK's main business CRAs, including Experian, Equifax and Creditsafe. 

Checking your own business credit report generally doesn't involve a hard search and shouldn't affect your score. See our guide on how to check your business credit score for the step-by-step process.

27/08/26 – While we want to help as much as we can, the information found here is provided solely for informational purposes and should not be considered financial or legal advice. To the extent permitted by law, Funding Circle does not accept any liability for any loss or damage which may arise directly or indirectly from the use of, or reliance on, the information contained here. If you have any questions, please speak to your professional adviser or seek independent legal advice.