How do I check my credit report for free UK?

You can check your credit report for free using: ClearScore (uses Equifax data), Credit Karma (uses TransUnion data), and Experian (free basic report via the Experian app). You can also request a statutory credit report from each agency for £2 under the Data Protection Act. Since each agency holds slightly different information, it's worth checking all three.

What is on my credit report UK?

Your UK credit report contains: your name, address history, date of birth; all credit accounts (mortgages, credit cards, loans, phone contracts); payment history for each account; electoral roll registration; CCJs, IVAs, bankruptcy; hard searches (credit applications); financial associations (joint accounts). It does NOT include your salary, savings, medical records, criminal record, or council tax information (unless there's a CCJ).

How long do things stay on your credit report UK?

Most negative information stays on your credit report for 6 years: missed payments, defaults, CCJs, IVAs, bankruptcy, and debt management plans. Hard searches stay for 12 months (visible 2 years). Settled accounts in good standing stay for 6 years after closure. Electoral roll registration stays as long as you're registered.

How do I fix errors on my credit report?

Contact the credit reference agency (Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion) and raise a dispute. They must investigate within 28 days. You can also contact the lender directly to correct the error. If you disagree with the outcome, you can add a 'notice of correction' (up to 200 words) explaining your side. Errors are surprisingly common — check regularly.

How to Read Your Credit Report — A Complete UK Guide | PocketWise

Your credit report is one of the most important financial documents you have. Lenders use it to decide whether to give you credit, what interest rate to charge, and how much to lend. Understanding it is essential.

Where to Check Your Credit Report

Service	Data source	Cost	Includes score?
ClearScore	Equifax	Free	Yes
Credit Karma	TransUnion	Free	Yes
Experian	Experian	Free (basic)	Yes (limited)
Experian CreditExpert	Experian	£14.99/month	Full report + score
MSE Credit Club	Experian	Free	Yes
Statutory report	Any agency	£2	No score

Check all three — each agency holds slightly different information and lenders use different agencies.

What’s on Your Credit Report

Personal Information

Data	What it includes
Full name	Including any previous names
Date of birth	As registered
Current address	Where you live now
Previous addresses	Typically last 6 years
Electoral roll status	Whether you’re registered to vote at your address

Credit Accounts

Each credit account shows:

Field	What it means
Account type	Credit card, mortgage, loan, overdraft, phone contract
Provider	The lender or company
Account opened	When you took out the credit
Credit limit / loan amount	How much credit you have
Current balance	How much you owe
Monthly payment	What you’re paying
Payment status	Up to date, 1 month late, 2 months late, etc.
Account status	Active, settled, defaulted

Payment History

Payment history uses a numbered system:

Status	Meaning	Impact on score
0	Paid on time	Positive
1	1 month late	Negative
2	2 months late	More negative
3	3 months late	Significantly negative
4	4 months late	Very negative
5	5 months late	Very negative
6	6+ months late or defaulted	Severely negative
D	Default	Severely negative
U	Unclassified / status unknown	Neutral

Searches (Credit Applications)

Search type	What it means	Visible to lenders?	Impact
Hard search	You applied for credit	Yes	Can lower score slightly
Soft search	Eligibility check or you checked your own report	No	No impact
Identity verification	Employer or landlord check	Sometimes	Minimal

Hard searches stay visible for 12 months and on your report for 2 years.

Public Records

Entry	What it means	Duration on report
CCJ (County Court Judgment)	Court ordered you to pay a debt	6 years (or removed if paid within 1 month)
IVA (Individual Voluntary Arrangement)	Formal debt agreement	6 years
Bankruptcy	Declared bankrupt	6 years
DRO (Debt Relief Order)	Debt relief for lower amounts	6 years
Insolvency	Various insolvency actions	6 years

Financial Associations

What it is	Why it matters
Joint accounts (bank, mortgage, loan)	Your report is linked to the other person
Joint applications	Even declined applications create a link
Impact	Their poor credit can affect your score
How to remove	Close joint accounts, then apply to “disassociate”

What’s NOT on Your Credit Report

Not included
Salary or income
Savings and investments
Medical history
Criminal record
Council tax payments (unless CCJ)
Utility bills (unless registered or defaulted)
Student loan (shown as a search, not a debt)
Benefits received
Rent payments (unless registered via a scheme)

How to Spot Errors

What to check	Common errors
Name and address	Misspellings, old addresses still showing as current
Accounts	Accounts you don’t recognise (possible fraud or error)
Balances	Paid-off accounts still showing a balance
Payment history	Payments marked as late when they were on time
Defaults	Default markers that shouldn’t be there
Searches	Credit checks you didn’t authorise
Financial associations	Old links to ex-partners still active
Closed accounts	Accounts shown as open when they’re closed

How to Fix Errors

Step	Action
1	Identify the error on your report
2	Gather evidence (bank statements, payment receipts)
3	Contact the credit reference agency to raise a dispute
4	The agency contacts the lender to investigate (28 days)
5	If the error is confirmed, it’s corrected
6	If the lender disagrees, you can add a Notice of Correction (200 words)
7	Escalate to the Financial Ombudsman or ICO if unresolved

How to Improve Your Credit Score

Action	Impact	Time
Register on the electoral roll	Significant	Immediate (once registered)
Pay all bills on time	Significant	Ongoing — builds over months
Keep credit utilisation below 30%	Significant	Immediate when balance reduced
Don’t apply for credit too often	Moderate	Hard searches drop off after 12 months
Keep old accounts open	Moderate	Shows longer credit history
Fix errors on your report	Variable	Once corrected
Disassociate from ex-partners	Can be significant	Once processed
Use a credit builder card	Moderate	3–6 months of on-time payments
Avoid payday loans	Significant	Negative markers fade over 6 years
Don’t withdraw cash on credit cards	Moderate	Seen as a risk signal

Credit Score Ranges

Agency	Score range	Poor	Fair	Good	Excellent
Experian	0–999	0–560	561–720	721–880	881–999
Equifax	0–1000	0–438	439–530	531–670	671–1000
TransUnion	0–710	0–565	566–603	604–627	628–710

Note: Lenders don’t see your score — they see your report and apply their own scoring. Different lenders weight things differently.

Summary

Key point	Detail
Check all three agencies	ClearScore (Equifax), Credit Karma (TransUnion), Experian
Check regularly	At least every 3 months
Most data stays 6 years	Missed payments, defaults, CCJs
Fix errors promptly	Agencies have 28 days to investigate
Register to vote	One of the biggest single improvements
Keep utilisation below 30%	Don’t use more than 30% of your available credit
Your score isn’t everything	Lenders use their own criteria based on your report data