Credit Scores UK: Reports, Agencies, Score Ranges and Rebuilding CreditHow to Read Your Credit Report — A Complete UK Guide
How to read and understand your credit report in the UK, what each section means, how to spot errors, and how to improve your credit score.
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.
Read more: See our Credit Scores guide for a complete overview of this topic.
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
| 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 |
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