Credit Score Basics > Can you check your credit report on the GOV UK website?

Can you check your credit report on the GOV UK website?

Wollit Team2 minute read · Updated 29th June 2024

No, you cannot directly check your credit report on the GOV UK website. The UK Government website has information on the availability of credit reports, but it does not offer a direct link to get them.

Instead, you can access your statutory credit report through the websites of the three major credit reference agencies (CRAs) in the UK, which are Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. You can also get your full credit report from credit monitoring services like Experian CreditExpert, ClearScore, or Credit Karma.

However, the GOV.UK does have some important information about credit reports and what your rights are, and how to get them for free.

What is a credit report?

A credit report is a detailed record of your personal credit history, including information about your credit accounts, payment history, and any outstanding debts.

Lenders use this information to assess your creditworthiness when you apply for credit, such as a credit card, loan, or mortgage.

How can I get my credit report?

There are three main credit reference agencies in the UK that hold your credit information: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion.

You have the legal right to access your statutory credit report from these agencies for free.

To get your full credit report, you normally have to pay: £14.95 on Equifax, and £14.99 on Experian. TransUnion does not have this option at all.

However, some websites do offer free access to your credit report:

Credit Karma, MoneySuperMarket, and MoneySavingExpert all give you free access to your TransUnion credit report and score, updated weekly.
ClearScore offers free access to your Equifax credit report.

In return for access to your free credit report, these websites earn a small commission every time you sign up to a financial product (like a credit card) through one of their partners.

As you can see, though, the UK Government website does not offer a credit monitoring service, and is not on this list of websites that gives access to your credit report.

What does the GOV UK website say about credit reports?

The Government website mentions that you can obtain a statutory credit report from each agency for £2.

However, that article was published in 2010 and is actually not up to date anymore, as you can request your statutory credit report completely for free from all three credit reference agencies.

What else can I do on the GOV UK website?

The UK Government website might not give you your credit report but it does let you do a whole list of other useful things:

Check your eligibility and apply for benefits.
Get an advance loan on your benefits.
Apply for student loans.
Apply for a passport.
Apply for a National Insurance Number (NiNo), which you need if you just arrived in the UK.
Register as self-employed.
Submit your Self Assessment tax return and pay your taxes.
Check your eligibility for Settled Status (British PR) and apply for it.
Check your eligibility for EU Pre-settled status and apply for it.
And much more.

However, when it comes to building credit or improving your credit score, you’ll need to search elsewhere.

Here are some great resources:

Check your credit scores and reports for free from Credit Karma or ClearScore.
Try the free 30-day trial for Experian (worth it for their credit score simulator).
Download a specialized credit-building app.

One such app is Wollit.

Wollit works by reporting a fixed-fee monthly subscription as a loan repayment to all credit reference agencies.

This helps you build a history of timely debt repayments, which is the main factor that matters for your credit rating. Checking your credit report is great, but if you’re looking for an app that can actually improve it, you might get more mileage from a credit-building app like Wollit.