Find out what your credit score is saying about you

THESE days, contactless payments, Buy Now Pay Later and online loans make a good credit score trickier to maintain.

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Whether you're applying for a mortgage, switching utility providers or signing up for a new mobile phone contract, your credit score plays a quiet but integral role in how easily, and affordably, you can access it.

Yet many people have no idea how it's calculated or how to improve it.

Here. consumer finance experts share what you need to know about your credit score.

1 Credit scores explained and why it matters

This three-digit number, used by lenders to judge us, can affect everything from mortgages to phone contracts.

"A credit score is a personalised number that lenders use to assess how trustworthy you are," explains finance expert and Nous founder Greg Marsh. "A higher score means you're more likely to get approved for a loan and better rates."