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Credit Reports and Credit Scores in the UK: How They Work and How to Check Yours

By PointsExplainedLast reviewed

Get your statutory report from each agency

Request the free statutory report from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Include all addresses from the last six years so nothing is missed.

Register to vote at your current address

Experian says electoral roll information helps lenders confirm your name and address, and that registration details should appear on your report within 30 days.

Check links and addresses

Look for financial associations with people you no longer share finances with and ask the agency for a disassociation where a joint account has closed.

Dispute errors in writing

Contact the agency and the lender that reported the entry, keep copies, and escalate to the ICO if an obvious inaccuracy is not corrected.

Where this comes from

Sources

The documents this guide relies on. If one has changed since we read it, the document is right and this guide is out of date.

  1. Information Commissioner's Office: Credit (guidance for the public)

    Guidance under review following the Data (Use and Access) Act; three main CRAs (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) hold information about most adults; what CRAs hold; CRAs licensed by the FCA; lenders choose which CRAs to use; free right of access, verbally or in writing; one month to respond, up to two more months with notice and reasons within the first month; look for 'statutory report'; financial links and disassociation; company named on an entry generally responsible and CRAs cannot amend without its permission; Notice of Correction; complaints to the ICO; CRAs share victim-of-fraud information; ask a lender to explain and review a refusal.

    ico.org.uk · Accessed
  2. Experian: Statutory Credit Report

    Statutory report available online or by post; recommendation to list previous addresses from the past six years.

    experian.co.uk · Accessed
  3. Experian: What is a credit score?

    Each CRA calculates its own score; Experian score is 0 to 1,250; lenders may calculate their own score and won't show it, but must tell you which CRA they used if you ask; the Experian score gives an idea of how lenders may view you; checking your score does not affect it.

    experian.co.uk · Accessed
  4. Experian: Searches on your report - soft and hard credit checks

    Soft searches visible only to you and do not affect your score; hard searches visible to lenders; most hard searches stay 12 months; many applications in a short period can concern lenders; checking your own report does not affect your score.

    experian.co.uk · Accessed
  5. Experian: How to improve your credit score

    Missed payments, defaults and CCJs can stay on your report for six years with reducing impact; electoral roll helps lenders confirm name and address.

    experian.co.uk · Accessed
  6. Experian: The electoral roll and your credit score

    Electoral details should appear on your credit report within 30 days of registering.

    experian.co.uk · Accessed
  7. Consumer Credit Act 1974, section 157 (legislation.gov.uk)

    A creditor declining a prospective regulated agreement on the basis of CRA information must say so and give the agency's name, address and telephone number.

    legislation.gov.uk · Accessed
Questions

About this guide

Does checking my own credit score lower it?

No. Experian says checking your own report or score does not affect your score or your chances of being accepted for credit.

Why is my score different on each agency?

Each agency calculates its own score on its own scale from the data it holds, and lenders do not all report to every agency, so the scores are not directly comparable.

How long do missed payments stay on my file?

Experian says missed payments, defaults and court judgments can stay on your report for six years, with the impact reducing over time.
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