How to pass a credit check for a mobile phone contract

Struggling to pass a credit check for a phone? You still have options, even with bad credit. Check out our guide to learn more.

Written by Hayley Bevan and Victoria Smith

Published: 03/06/25Published on June 3rd, 2025

Last reviewed: 03/06/25Last reviewed on June 3rd, 2025

6 mins read

Whether you’re applying for a loan, new credit card, or mobile phone contract, lenders will perform a credit check to assess your financial behaviour.

As part of a check, they’ll typically look at how much credit you currently have, how well it’s managed, and how likely you are to make monthly repayments.

This is all part of a hard credit check which shows up on your credit report and can temporarily lower your credit score if too many checks are made in a short period of time.

Let’s unpack what it takes to pass a credit check for a mobile phone contract.

Can I get a phone contract with bad credit?

Although it’s still possible to get a mobile phone contract with bad credit, you might find it more challenging and end up facing higher costs and less favourable terms.

If you’re not approved for credit, there are other options available to you, such as SIM-only deals which offer more flexibility and may not require a credit check – especially if you already have a mobile device.

Alternatively, you could explore pay-as-you-go SIM options which bypass the need for a credit check altogether, and don’t come with monthly repayments that could potentially become unmanageable.

If you’re set on a mobile phone contract, you might decide to put things off until you’ve improved your credit score. It’s not a quick process but could help you secure more favourable terms later down the line. Whatever works best for your financial situation.

What credit score do you need for a mobile phone contract?

Every network comes with its own criteria for assessing how responsible you might be with credit, which means there’s no universal credit score to get a mobile phone contract.

That said, those with a mid-to-good credit score are typically more likely to have an application accepted. What a good credit score looks like varies between credit reference agencies and the scoring models they use to arrive at your score.

For example, with Experian, a good credit score range sits between 881 to 960. With TransUnion, it’s currently 604 to 627, and with Equifax, it’s 531 to 670. It all depends on which one is used by your lender.

When a lender checks your credit score, they’ll refer to one of these credit reference agencies to check how responsible you are with credit and how likely you are to pay on time each month.

As part of the process, a lender will also consider your income and employment status, current debt, payment history, credit utilisation, and any other information available at the time.

These checks combined help lenders arrive at a more informed decision as to whether your application for a mobile phone contract will be approved, or you’ll likely struggle to make monthly payments.

What this means is a credit score is not the only deciding factor to secure a mobile phone contract. Even if you’re someone with room for improvement with your credit score, you still have a chance to secure a mobile phone contract.

Do all UK mobile networks require you to pass a credit check?

Not all UK mobile networks require you to pass a credit check – it largely depends on the type of plan and contract you decide to go for.

Traditional pay-monthly mobile phone contracts will typically come with a hard credit check, but more flexible options, such as SIM-only and pay-as-you-go plans, usually don’t need one.

Although it might not be your first choice, opting for a no-credit-check option could give you the financial breathing space you need to improve your score for a pay-monthly contract later down the line.

What’s also worth noting is applying for a pay-monthly contract with bad credit could potentially add another mark to your credit report, further lowering your credit score.

For that reason, you should consider all your options to find a contract that fits with your financial situation. Whether that’s a pay-monthly contract or more flexible pay-as-you-go plan is up to you.

Best mobile networks for bad credit in the UK

If you want to secure a mobile phone contract with bad credit, you could research providers who don’t perform a credit check.

Although it means you could be offered a contract with less favourable terms, you have a better chance to bypass a hard credit check which could potentially lower your credit score.

If you have bad credit, here are some networks who could possibly help you secure a mobile phone contract:

• GiffGaff is known for offering flexible SIM-only deals with 30-day rolling contracts you can cancel anytime without an extra fee.
• VOXI also offers prepaid and rolling SIM-only deals with no long-term contracts and no credit check.
• Lebara is part of the Vodafone network, offering 30-day SIM-only contracts with a 30-day notice cancellation policy.
• Smarty runs off the Three Mobile network and offers SIM-only deals with a monthly allowance for using data when travelling in the EU.
• Lyca Mobile runs off O2’s network coverage and offers SIM-only deals that work on a prepaid basis with no credit check.

You could also consider other networks who might offer a mobile phone contract without a credit check, such as Tesco Mobile, ASDA, and iD Mobile.

As with many mobile phone contracts that don’t require a credit check, you might find you have less choice and miss out on exclusive offers, such as free six-month subscriptions to music platforms.

With whatever contract you might be offered by UK mobile phone networks, it’s important to take the time to go with an option that works for you and your financial situation.

What to do if you're refused a phone contract due to bad credit

If you’re refused a phone contract due to bad credit, there are still options for you to explore. One of which is to consider a SIM-only or prepaid alternative which typically doesn’t require a credit check.

Depending on the network, you could opt for a monthly rolling contract or a prepaid option – both of which usually let you cancel at any time without the cost of an exit fee.

If neither option feels right for you and you’d rather go for a pay-monthly contract, a smart next step is to look at ways to improve your credit score.

There are many things you can start doing straightaway, and the best strategy is to tick off as many actions as possible to get things working in your favour.

From checking errors on credit reports and paying off debt, to cancelling unused cards and staying on top of payments, there’s a lot you can do to fix bad credit and look financially sensible to lenders.

Taking the time to build credit before you apply for a mobile phone contract can also protect your credit report from multiple hard credit checks which can lower your score.

Getting the green light in a credit check for a mobile phone contract is typically easier for those with a good credit score. If you know your score needs to improve before you make an application, you might want to consider a credit card to build better credit.

It’ll give you the power to get your finances back on track – all with the support of Aqua Coach, our free credit-building tool designed to help Aqua customers get better at credit management.

Representative 34.9% APR (variable) on Aqua Classic.

Contributors

Hayley Bevan

Hayley is an editor at Aqua.

Victoria Smith

Victoria is an editor at Aqua.