Affordit guide
Affordability score
Important note
Affordit is designed to help you plan before you commit. It does not run a credit check, connect to your bank account, approve finance or provide regulated financial advice. Use it as general planning guidance to sense-check your numbers.
What is an affordability score?
An affordability score is a planning signal. It helps you sense-check whether a cost fits your wider budget before you commit. It is not a lender decision, mortgage decision, rental approval or finance offer.
Affordit uses the numbers you enter to estimate how much pressure a route may create. The score should help you ask better questions, not make promises about approval.
Affordit score ranges
- 80–100: Sustainable - the route looks realistic with room for normal costs and a buffer
- 60–79: Manageable - the route may work, but some pressure or trade-offs are likely
- 40–59: Stretch - the plan may need a lower cost, longer timeline or more savings
- 0–39: Not realistic yet - the current version may create too much pressure
What affects your affordability score?
- Target cost
- Current savings
- Monthly contribution
- Income
- Regular costs
- Timeline
- Repayment pressure
- Emergency buffer
Affordability score vs credit score
An affordability score helps you sense-check whether something fits your budget. A credit score is linked to your credit history and may be used by lenders and credit reference agencies.
Affordit does not run a credit check, does not connect to your bank and does not affect your credit score.
How to improve your affordability score
- Reduce the target cost
- Save more upfront
- Increase monthly contribution if realistic
- Extend the timeline
- Reduce regular costs
- Avoid using all spare income
- Include hidden costs
- Build an emergency buffer
Example scenario
Someone wants to buy a £6,000 car. They have £1,000 saved and can contribute £250 per month. On the surface, this may take around 20 months. But insurance, MOT, servicing, tyres and fuel also matter, so the true affordability depends on whether the ongoing monthly cost still fits their budget.
How Affordit helps
Affordit turns a goal, savings, monthly contribution, income, regular costs and timeline into a practical route and score. It helps you improve the plan before committing, without credit checks or bank connections.
Common questions
Is an affordability score the same as a credit score?
No. An affordability score is a planning estimate. A credit score is linked to your credit history. Affordit does not run credit checks or affect your credit file.
What is a good affordability score?
In Affordit, 80–100 is usually sustainable, 60–79 is manageable, 40–59 is a stretch and below 40 may not be realistic yet.
Can I improve my affordability score?
Yes. You can usually improve it by reducing the target cost, saving more upfront, extending your timeline or lowering regular costs.
Does Affordit approve finance?
No. Affordit helps you plan affordability. It does not approve finance, loans, mortgages or rental applications.
Related guides
Last reviewed: June 2026