Credit files explained: how to check yours and improve it

By FCalc Plus Editorial Team · Published 20 October 2026

What's on a UK credit file, how to check it free with Experian, Equifax and TransUnion, how to fix mistakes, and the habits that genuinely help.

Lenders, landlords, mobile networks and energy companies often check your credit file before agreeing to do business with you. Knowing what is on it, and correcting anything that is wrong, is one of the simplest ways to improve your chances of being accepted at a fair rate. Checking is free and does not harm your score.

What a credit file is?

A credit file is a record of how you have managed credit and certain bills. In the UK it is held by three main credit reference agencies: Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. Lenders may use one or more of them, and the information can differ between agencies, so it is worth checking all three.

What is on it?

Credit accounts: loans, credit cards, mortgages, overdrafts, some buy-now-pay-later and phone contracts, with balances, limits and payment history.
Missed payments, defaults and arrangements to pay. Most information stays on your file for six years.
Public records: county court judgments (CCJs), bankruptcies and individual voluntary arrangements.
Electoral roll registration, which helps lenders confirm your identity and address.
Financial associations: people you share a joint account or joint credit with.
Searches: hard searches from applications, visible to lenders.

Your file does not include your salary, savings, criminal record, medical history or council tax and parking fines (unless they lead to a court judgment).

Credit scores vs credit files

Each agency's app shows a "score", but lenders do not see that number. They use the underlying information and their own criteria. A score is a rough guide to how the file looks; the file itself is what matters.

How do you check your file for free?

You have a legal right to see your statutory credit report from each agency free of charge. All three also offer free online access, directly or through partner services. Checking your own file is a soft search and has no effect on your score.

Fixing mistakes

Read each file carefully: accounts you do not recognise, wrong addresses, payments marked late that were not, or links to people you have no financial connection with.
Contact the lender that reported the information and ask it to correct it. The credit reference agency can also raise a dispute on your behalf.
Ask to remove a financial association once you no longer share any credit with someone, for example after a separation.
Add a notice of correction of up to 200 words if the information is accurate but there was a reason for it, such as illness or a bereavement. Lenders must take it into account.
If you suspect fraud, report it to Report Fraud (reportfraud.police.uk, which replaced Action Fraud in December 2025; in Scotland, Police Scotland on 101) and consider Cifas protective registration.
If a dispute is not resolved, you can complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service, or to the Information Commissioner's Office about data accuracy.

Habits that genuinely help

Register to vote at your current address.
Pay every bill on time. Set up at least the minimum payment by direct debit on credit cards.
Keep credit card balances well below their limits. High use of available credit can count against you.
Space out applications and use soft-search eligibility checkers before applying.
Build a history if you have little or none: some people use a credit-builder card for a small regular purchase, cleared in full every month.
Keep older accounts open if they are well run and cost nothing, as a long history can help.

Beware of firms that charge to "repair" your credit. They cannot remove accurate information, and you can do everything above yourself for free.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to improve a credit file?

Accounts are usually updated monthly, so corrections can show within weeks. Rebuilding after missed payments takes longer and improves steadily with on-time payments.

Does checking my score lower it?

No. Checking your own file is a soft search.

Sources and further reading

Facts checked on 20 October 2026. Spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct it.