How to Read a Business Credit Report for Your UK Company

Where business credit data comes from

Business credit reference agencies — principally Experian Business, Creditsafe, and Dun & Bradstreet in the UK — compile reports from multiple sources. The primary source is Companies House, which provides incorporation date, director names and appointment history, registered address, filed accounts, and any charges (mortgages) registered against company assets. Agencies also collect data from financial institutions, trade creditors who subscribe to information-sharing agreements, court records, and in some cases payment performance data from utility providers.

The resulting report gives any business or individual who pays for a search a snapshot of your company's financial health, payment behaviour, and structural stability.

Understanding the credit score and risk band

Most UK agencies present a numerical score (often 0–100) alongside a risk band label such as 'Very Low', 'Low', 'Medium', 'High', or 'Very High' risk. A higher score typically indicates lower credit risk. The score is calculated algorithmically from the underlying data — late filed accounts, recent CCJs, declining net assets, or frequent director changes will all push the score down.

Different agencies weight factors differently, so your score can vary between Experian and Creditsafe even based on the same underlying data. When applying for commercial finance, ask your lender which agency they use so you know which report to prioritise.

Key sections to examine in detail

When you pull your own report, focus on these sections:

• Company summary: incorporation date, SIC code, registered address — errors here propagate through all scored models, so correct them at Companies House promptly
• Financial accounts summary: net assets, turnover (if filed), and whether accounts were filed on time — check these match your actual filed accounts
• Director information: lists all current and former directors and any other directorships they hold — lenders look for patterns of failed companies
• County Court Judgments: the most serious negative entry — review for accuracy; a CCJ registered against you in error must be disputed through the court that issued it
• Payment performance: where data is available, shows average days to pay invoices against terms — a consistent trend of paying late degrades your score even if no CCJs exist
• Credit limit recommendation: an agency's suggested maximum credit line for your business — useful as a benchmark but not binding on any individual lender

Disputing errors and requesting corrections

Errors on business credit reports are not uncommon, particularly for companies with common names, recent address changes, or directors who share names with other individuals. Each agency has a formal dispute process. Contact their business data team with your company number, the specific inaccuracy, and supporting evidence. For Companies House data errors, the correction must be filed at Companies House first — the agencies will update their records once the public register changes.

CCJ disputes must be addressed at the issuing court. If a judgment was registered against your company in error, or if you can demonstrate it was satisfied within one month of being entered, the court can mark it as 'satisfied' or remove it entirely. Confirm the correct procedure with a solicitor if significant amounts are involved.