Your credit score, explained.
Understand your credit report, find free ways to check it and learn what affects it.
Independent educational information. We don’t check your credit file, offer credit or make lending decisions.
Your credit report and your credit score are different things.
Providers use different scoring scales, so scores can’t be compared directly.
A high score does not guarantee a lender will accept you.
What do you need help with?
Check my credit report
Free reports and what each one includes.
Understand my score
Score scales, bands and what they mean.
Build credit for the first time
Practical first steps with no credit history.
Soft and hard searches
Which checks lenders see, and for how long.
Check credit utilisation
How much of your available credit you use.
Errors on my report
Check your details and raise a dispute.
Free credit reports, compared
Different services show information from different credit reference agencies.
No single report shows everything. Check which agency a service uses before signing up.
Credit-utilisation calculator
See how much of your available credit you’re using. Your figures stay on this page.
£500 used of a £2,000 total credit limit.
Utilisation is one factor among many. It does not determine your score or a lender’s decision.
Essential credit guides
Credit scores versus credit reports
Your report is the record; your score is a summary. Understand the difference before you check either.
Building credit for the first time
Practical first steps for a limited credit history, without borrowing more than you need.
Credit-score myths, checked
Checking your score, carrying debt and the “credit blacklist”: separate common myths from facts.
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to common questions.
Does checking my own credit score affect it?
No. Checking your own score or report uses a soft search, which does not affect your credit score. Applying for credit can involve a hard search.
Why do I have different credit scores?
Agencies can hold different information and use different scoring models. Services use different scales too, so the numbers cannot be directly compared.
Do I need to pay to see my credit report?
No. You can access a free statutory report from each of the three main agencies. Several services also offer free scores and reports; paid extras are optional.
Will a high credit score guarantee acceptance?
No. Lenders make their own decisions and consider affordability, application details and other criteria, not just a consumer score.
About this site
An independent information website using official sources. Not a credit reference agency, lender or FCA-authorised firm.