Credit utilisation — the percentage of available revolving credit in use — accounts for 30% of your FICO score. FICO calculates both overall AND per-card utilisation.

1-9%Maximum positive impact
10-29%Good
30-49%Moderate negative
50-74%Significant negative
75-100%Severe negative

Formula: Total balances ÷ Total limits × 100. Both overall AND per-card utilisation matter — a single maxed card hurts even with low overall utilisation.

The statement date timing trick

Issuers report balances on your statement closing date, not payment due date. Pay before your statement closes to show lower reported utilisation — valuable before a major loan application.

Use our Mortgage Calculator to model this.

Frequently asked questions

What is a good utilisation ratio?
Below 30% is common guidance; below 10% is ideal.
Does 0% utilisation hurt my score?
Very slightly vs 1-5%, but the effect is minimal.
How fast does utilisation affect score?
Within 2-4 weeks of the balance being reported.
Does debit card use affect utilisation?
No — only revolving credit accounts count.
Should I close unused cards?
No — this raises utilisation and shortens history.