12 practical steps to a stronger score
Register to vote, pay bills on time, keep utilisation low, space out applications, and check your report for errors. Small gains that accumulate.
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Clear answers to credit questions
Understand your report, work out what changed and take the next step with confidence.
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13 reasons a credit card is refused
Rejections usually come down to eligibility, credit history, your financial situation, or the application itself. Some are quick fixes; some need six months.
14 reasons your credit score dropped
Score drops trace back to four places — reporting errors or fraud, payment history, how you're managing accounts, and your personal details. Most are fixable.
Aliases on your credit report
An alias has no direct effect on your score. It links credit history recorded under a previous name to your current file, which usually helps. Only remove…
AML checks explained
AML checks verify your identity and the source of your funds on large transactions. They're routine, use ID and address documents, and appear as soft…
An account on your report you don't recognise
Work through the ordinary explanations first. Lenders often report under a trading name you won't recognise, similar names and addresses get confused, and…
APR on credit cards explained
APR is what a year of borrowing costs, including fees. The advertised "representative" rate goes to at least 51% of customers — yours depends on your credit…
Balance transfers and your credit score
Balance transfers can affect your score, but usually only temporarily. Keep up your minimum payments and your score should improve over time.
Bankruptcy's effect on your credit score
Bankruptcy significantly affects your credit score and your ability to be approved for credit until it drops off your file. There's no fixed drop, and no…
Being a guarantor and your credit
Simply being a guarantor won't affect your credit score. If the borrower doesn't pay and you can't either, it can seriously affect your ability to borrow in…
BNPL and your credit score
BNPL can affect your score, increasingly so as providers report to the credit reference agencies. Whether the effect is positive or negative depends…
Building a better credit score in the UK
Add positive markers, avoid negative ones. Pay on time, stay credit active, watch your utilisation, and keep your details consistent everywhere.
Building UK credit after moving here
Credit scores don't cross borders, so you're starting fresh. Opening a bank account, registering to vote, paying bills on time and reporting your rent all…
Car insurance and your credit score
Buying car insurance doesn't affect your score. Choosing to pay monthly does, because that's a credit agreement. And your existing score can shape the quote…
Checking your credit score, step by step
Each agency asks for your details and checks who you are before it shows you your report and score. Checking all three shows you what any lender might see.
Cifas markers on your credit report
Only two Cifas markers appear on credit reports, and neither affects your score or your eligibility for credit. Both prompt lenders to run extra identity…
Closing a credit card and your score
Closing a card can cause a small, temporary drop — open accounts count for more, your utilisation rises, and you lose an old account. Usually not a reason…
Council Tax and your credit score
Council Tax doesn't affect your credit score, in either direction. But it's a priority debt with severe consequences, and your council has powers no lender…
Credit card applications and your score
Applying doesn't automatically lower your score — it's reasonable credit activity. The problem only arises with a cluster of applications in a short period.
Credit card fraud explained
Credit card fraud is your card details being used without permission to make purchases, withdraw money, or take out credit in your name.
Credit card minimum payments explained
Minimums are either a flat rate or a percentage of your statement balance, often whichever is higher. Paying only the minimum keeps the debt alive far…
Credit cards explained
Used well, a credit card builds your credit history. Used badly, it damages it. The difference is entirely in how you manage repayments, not how much you…
Credit invisibility when you have no score
No credit score is common and isn't a black mark. Usual causes are never having borrowed, a recent move to the UK, or a long gap in activity. Registering to…
Credit reports and scores — the basics
Your credit health is the full picture of how you handle borrowing — not just a number. It influences mortgages, loans, tenancies and sometimes even job…
Credit scores on a joint mortgage
Lenders consider the credit history of everyone signing the mortgage. One low score makes things harder, not impossible — the gaps in one person's history…
Defaults on your credit file explained
A default shows repayments were missed over an extended period and the lender considers the agreement broken. It stays six years — but paying in full within…
Disputing a CCJ on your credit report
CCJ data comes from the Registry Trust, which gets it from the court. If a judgment is wrong or isn't yours, go to the court that issued it with the case…
Divorce and your credit score
Divorce won't directly affect your credit score, but shared debt, closing accounts, changed income and stale financial associations all can.
Does checking your own credit report hurt your score?
Checking your own report creates an audit search, and audit searches aren't used in credit scoring. Lenders can't see how often you look. Checking regularly…
First-party fraud explained
First-party fraud is knowingly giving false information for financial advantage. Many people assume it's harmless, but it carries legal and financial…
Fraudulent payments on your account
Contact your card provider as soon as you notice. Banks must refund unauthorised transactions, usually by the end of the next working day. You have 13…
Gambling and your credit score
Gambling has no direct impact on your credit score. The indirect routes — cash advances, missed payments, rising utilisation, and forensic checks on a…
Gaps in UK credit knowledge
One in five adults don't realise they can access their credit information at all. Among those who do check, comprehension is the bigger problem.
Guarantor income requirements in the UK
A guarantor agrees to cover someone else's debt or rent if that person stops paying. They need to be UK-based, have a good credit history, and be able to…
Holding multiple bank accounts and your score
Opening multiple bank accounts doesn't automatically harm your credit — but hard checks and heavy overdraft use can. Space out applications, manage…
How a loan changes your credit score
Loans grow your score when repayments are made on time, and harm it when they're missed. Paying one off can cause a temporary dip, which is normal.
How long an IVA stays on your credit report
An IVA is a formal, legally binding agreement to repay some or all of what you owe. It stays on your credit report for six years, appears on a publicly…
How long credit score improvement takes
It depends what you've changed. Electoral Roll registration takes 1–3 months, cutting your utilisation 4–6 weeks, and consistent payments show real benefit…
How long information stays on your credit report
Six years is the standard retention period, set by the Information Commissioner's Office. Closed accounts, defaults, CCJs and insolvencies all run for six…
How often your credit report updates
Lenders report roughly once a month, and their update can take up to two months to show. Court information arrives within about 28 days. Electoral Roll…
How to dispute an error on your credit report
Go to the lender first — they reported the information, so they can correct it fastest. If that fails, raise a dispute with the credit reference agency,…
Improving your score without a credit card
You can improve your score without ever using a credit card — reporting rent and utility payments, registering on the Electoral Roll, and paying every bill…
Insolvency and the accounts inside it
Accounts included in an insolvency stay on your report and are normally marked as defaulted, for six years from the default date. That date is set by your…
Joint accounts and your credit score
Joint accounts and applications create financial associations. They don't merge your scores, but lenders can consider both parties' records when assessing…
Klarna and your credit score
Klarna reports to Experian and TransUnion. Timely payments help your score; missed ones can harm it for six years. Financing triggers a hard check.
Klarna explained
Klarna splits purchases into smaller payments. Standard options use soft searches that don't affect your score. Longer-term financing uses a hard search —…
Linked addresses on your credit report
Linked addresses don't affect your credit score — only the information recorded at them does. Old addresses can't normally be removed, and you wouldn't want…
Mortgage holidays and your credit rating
Yes, it can harm your credit score. Ask your lender whether they'll report it before you arrange one, and never simply stop paying without an agreement in…
Mortgages in principle and your score
An MIP is unlikely to affect your credit score, since most major lenders only run a soft search. It's an estimate, not an offer — and you can still be…
Moving home and your credit score
Changing address doesn't directly affect your credit score. Missed bill payments and incorrect address details do. Keep your information current and accurate.
Notices of Correction and Notices of Dispute
A Notice of Correction is 200 words you add to explain something. It forces every application to be processed manually, so it's rarely worth it. A Notice of…
Overdrafts and your credit score
Having an overdraft doesn't affect your score. How you use it does. Clear the balance quickly and routinely and it can help; leave it unpaid and it won't.
PayPal BNPL and your credit score
Pay in 3 uses a soft check and is short-term. PayPal Credit uses a hard check and works like a credit card. Both report to the agencies, so timely payments…
Reaching a 999 credit score
999 is the top of TransUnion's scale, but not of Experian's or Equifax's. What a top score means, and the habits that get you there over time.
Refused a phone contract despite a good score
Phone contract decisions aren't just about your score. Affordability, address stability and accuracy all matter. If you're rejected, fix the cause before…
Removing a financial association
Close every joint account first, then request a disassociation from the credit reference agencies. It takes around 28 days. Leave it in place and the other…
Satisfied CCJs and your credit
A CCJ stays on your report for six years, unless paid within the first month. It affects your score, but on-time payments and good habits rebuild it over…
Self-employment and your credit score
Being self-employed doesn't directly affect your credit score in the UK. Your score comes from your credit report — repayment history, searches, Electoral…
SIM takeover fraud and how to stop it
Criminals transfer your number to their own SIM, intercepting the security codes that protect your bank and email. Reported cases surged 1,055% in 2024.
Statutory credit reports and how to request one
A statutory credit report is a free record from Experian, Equifax and TransUnion showing six years of credit history. It doesn't include your credit score.
Student loans and your credit score
Your student loan won't affect your credit score and doesn't appear on your report. It does count against your affordability for a mortgage, and any other…
Switching banks and your credit score
Switching once might dip your score temporarily. Switching repeatedly over a few months does more lasting damage. If a mortgage or big loan is coming up,…
Tenant credit checks explained
With your consent, UK landlords run soft credit checks to verify identity, confirm your right to rent, and assess risk. They see public information only.
The annual canvass explained
The canvass runs roughly July to November and is published on 1 December. During it, the agencies won't accept manual updates to your Electoral Roll details…
The factors behind your credit score
Anything that makes your financial behaviour look stable, predictable and easy to verify helps your credit score. Anything suggesting uncertainty or…
The FCA car finance compensation scheme
If you financed a car, motorbike or van between 6 April 2007 and 1 November 2024, you may be owed money. The average payout is £830, and you have until 31…
The score you need for a personal loan
No set minimum exists in the UK. Lenders assess income, debts and credit history. A low score means higher rates, smaller amounts and shorter terms rather…
The score you need to buy a car
There's no minimum score. Lenders must assess both the risk you won't repay and the risk that repayments would be unaffordable for you.
The score you need to buy a house
No minimum credit score exists for a UK mortgage. Lenders assess income, debts and history. A low score may mean higher rates or a bigger deposit, not…
The searches on your credit report
Hard searches happen when you apply for credit and can affect your score. Soft searches — quotes, eligibility checks, landlord and employer checks — don't.…
Understanding your credit limit
The limit you're offered is personalised, not the one advertised. Going over it brings fees and consequences, and how close you run to it tells lenders a lot.
Universal Credit and your credit score
Universal Credit isn't credit, doesn't appear on your report, and lenders can't see it. Missed payments and rising credit use are what to watch.
Unsecured debt explained
Unsecured debt requires no collateral. Approval rests on your credit history rather than an asset, which means higher rates and smaller amounts, but your…
Updating the Electoral Roll after you move
Updating your Electoral Roll details matters for voting and for credit checks. You can do it online or through your local council, and changes may take up…
Utility bills and your credit score
Most utility companies don't routinely report your payments, so paying on time may not help your score. Falling seriously behind, though, can absolutely…
What adverse credit means
Adverse credit covers missed payments, defaults, CCJs, bankruptcy and repossessions. These stay six years, but their impact fades as you build good payment…
What counts as a good credit score
Every credit reference agency uses its own range and its own method, so your score differs depending on where you check. What lenders actually assess is…
What the payment markers on your report mean
OK means you paid on time. The numbers 1 to 6 count how many months you're behind. Everything else is a status code — D for default, AR for an arrangement…
What to do after identity fraud
Tell the lenders first, then consider a Protective Registration with Cifas and a Notice of Correction on your report. Report it to Action Fraud for a crime…
When a default on your report looks wrong
A default stays for six years from the default date whether you're paying it or not, because the lender is no longer obliged to report your payments. And…
When your Electoral Roll entry appears on your report
Allow one to three months from the date your listing is published, not from the date you registered. If it still hasn't appeared, the usual culprits are the…
Where a 600 credit score sits in the UK
600 sits just under halfway on Experian's scale and a little over halfway on Equifax's and TransUnion's. Lenders never see your score anyway. They see your report.
Where to get help with money worries
Free debt advice is available from National Debtline, StepChange and Citizens Advice. Specialist support exists for gambling harm, homelessness, bereavement…
Whether car finance builds your score
Pay on time and car finance builds positive history and diversifies your credit mix. Miss payments and it does lasting damage.
Whether rent shows on your credit report
Rent payments don't usually appear on your credit report. A rent reporting service can add them — helpful if you pay reliably, risky if you might not.
Who supplies your credit report data
The information on your credit report comes from third parties — lenders, banks and financial institutions, service providers, public records and fraud…
Why the Electoral Roll matters for credit
The Electoral Roll is what lenders and agencies use to verify who you are and where you live. It's the anchor the rest of your credit history is matched…
Why your bank account isn't showing on your report
Unlike other lenders, banks were never required to report customer information. More of them do now because it helps their own lending decisions, but not…
Why your credit report looks empty
Credit reports are assembled by automated matching, so a small difference in how your name or address is recorded can stop information being returned. If…
Why your score varies between agencies
UK credit scores differ across Experian, Equifax and TransUnion because each holds different data and uses a different model. Checking your report regularly…
Working out why you were declined for credit
Being declined isn't about your credit score. It's the information on your credit report that counts, assessed against each lender's own criteria.
Your credit report at each mortgage stage
Check before you apply, during the process when lenders run drawdown checks, and after you move in. Each stage catches different problems.
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Build a clearer picture
12 practical steps to a stronger score
Register to vote, pay bills on time, keep utilisation low, space out applications, and check your report for errors. Small gains that accumulate.
14 reasons your credit score dropped
Score drops trace back to four places — reporting errors or fraud, payment history, how you're managing accounts, and your personal details. Most are fixable.
Credit reports and scores — the basics
Your credit health is the full picture of how you handle borrowing — not just a number. It influences mortgages, loans, tenancies and sometimes even job…
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Credit articles
Expert explanations for the decisions and life events that shape your credit health.
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Credit reporting foundations
Understand what credit reports contain, how scores work and where your information comes from.
9 articlesWhat moves your score
Clear answers on the everyday decisions and financial events that can change your credit profile.
13 articlesDiagnosing a score change
Find the likely reason your score changed and identify the information worth checking first.
2 articlesImproving credit health
Practical, evidence-led ways to strengthen your credit health over time.
5 articlesCredit cards
Use credit cards with confidence, from applications and APR to limits and minimum payments.
8 articlesLoans and car finance
Understand personal loans, vehicle finance, affordability and the effect repayments can have.
6 articlesBuy Now Pay Later
How buy now, pay later products work and when they appear on a credit report.
4 articlesMortgages and buying a home
Prepare your credit report for each stage of buying a home and applying for a mortgage.
5 articlesRenting, tenancy and guarantors
What tenant checks and guarantee agreements mean for renters, borrowers and guarantors.
3 articlesApplications and declines
Understand lender checks, declined applications and the most useful next step.
3 articlesAdverse credit and insolvency
Plain-English guidance on defaults, judgments, bankruptcy and adverse credit.
4 articlesFraud and identity
Recognise identity and payment fraud, protect your details and respond quickly.
3 articlesLife events and shared finances
Understand how relationships, joint finances and separation connect your credit records.
2 articlesMarket context and research
Research and analysis that puts UK credit health into a wider context.
1 articleStep-by-step support
Practical guides
Focused help for reading, correcting and protecting the information on your report.
Reading Your Credit Report
Make sense of accounts, payment markers and updates on your credit report.
6 guidesAddresses And Electoral Roll
Resolve address links and Electoral Roll information.
4 guidesAssociations And Aliases
Understand names and financial connections recorded against you.
2 guidesSearches And Applications
Identify the searches on your file and what they mean.
2 guidesDefaults And Insolvency
Check and correct defaults, judgments and insolvency information.
4 guidesFraud And Notices
Respond to fraud markers, suspicious activity and notices on your report.
4 guidesGetting Things Fixed
Dispute incorrect information and find trusted support.
2 guidesPlain English, from A to V
Credit terms explained
70 common terms, defined clearly and linked from every article.