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Business credit score:
what it is.
A business credit score is not a single number — it is a company-specific rating calculated independently by each credit reference agency. This guide explains how these scores work, what determines them, and where they fit in a lender’s assessment. Credicorp assesses the company; there is no personal credit check.
What a business credit score actually is
A business credit score is a number produced by a credit reference agency to represent how likely a company is to meet its financial obligations. It is not issued by the government, by Companies House, or by the company itself — it is a proprietary product of each bureau’s own model, fed from the data it holds.
The four main UK business credit reference agencies are Experian Business, Equifax Business, Dun & Bradstreet and Creditsafe. Each holds overlapping but not identical data, and each calculates scores using its own algorithm. A company can have a strong score at one bureau and a mediocre one at another — both are technically correct, they are just measuring with different tools.
A score is a summary signal, not a complete assessment. A lender uses bureau data as one input alongside bank statement data and Companies House data. A weak score is a concern; it is not always a veto.
What affects the score
Positive factors
- Consistent on-time payment history across all suppliers and creditors
- Company age — older, established businesses score better
- Current Companies House filings — on-time confirmation statements and accounts
- Previous credit facilities repaid on time
- Healthy filed accounts — consistent revenue, adequate working capital
Negative factors
- Unsatisfied County Court Judgments (CCJs)
- Late or missing Companies House filings
- Very short trading history (thin file)
- High credit utilisation
- Industry-risk flag (some sectors are scored as higher risk by default)
- Director association with other companies that have adverse entries
How lenders use the score
The bureau score is one of three primary data inputs in a Credicorp assessment — alongside the company bank statements and the Companies House record. It is not used in isolation.
A company with a modest bureau score but strong, consistent bank statement data can still be assessed positively — the score is a summary signal, not the whole picture. Conversely, a strong score does not guarantee approval if the bank statement data shows affordability concerns. Both the bureau data and the bank data must support the application.
Five steps to check and understand your company’s score
- Pull a report from at least one major bureau. Experian Business, Equifax Business, Creditsafe or Dun & Bradstreet all sell business credit reports. A basic report is typically £20–40. Do this before applying for credit.
- Identify what is driving the score down. CCJs, late filings, thin file, high utilisation — each has a different remedy. Prioritise the most impactful.
- Dispute errors or outdated entries. Bureau data is not always current. Paid CCJs showing unsatisfied, wrong addresses, incorrect accounts data — dispute these directly with the bureau. Allow two to six weeks for changes to flow through.
- Build positive payment history over time. There is no shortcut. Consistent on-time payments across all obligations is the single most reliable score driver over time.
- Check across bureaux before a significant application. Different bureaux, different data. Check more than one before an important application and address issues at all of them.
For the full practical improvement guide, read how to improve your business credit score.
Business credit score questions
What is a business credit score?
A business credit score is a numerical summary of a company's creditworthiness, produced by business credit reference agencies. It is calculated from the company's payment history, financial data, Companies House filings, court records (including CCJs) and — for older companies — filed accounts. The score is intended to indicate the likelihood of the company meeting its financial obligations. Unlike a personal credit score, a business credit score is primarily about the company, not its directors.
Who calculates business credit scores?
In the UK, the main business credit reference agencies are Experian Business, Equifax Business, Dun & Bradstreet and Creditsafe. Each uses its own proprietary model and data sources, which means scores for the same company can differ significantly between bureaux. There is no single universal business credit score. A score of 80/100 at one bureau is not the same as a score of 80/100 at another.
What factors affect a business credit score?
The main factors are: (1) payment history — paying suppliers and creditors on time; (2) County Court Judgments — unsatisfied CCJs are a significant negative; (3) company age and stability — older companies with a consistent trading history score better; (4) Companies House filings — late or missing confirmation statements and accounts are a negative signal; (5) financial data from filed accounts — revenue trends, profit margins, working capital ratios; (6) industry risk — some sectors are scored as higher risk by default; (7) existing credit obligations — high utilisation of existing credit facilities.
Does a director's personal credit affect the company's score?
In general, a company credit score is about the company, not the director personally. Business credit bureaux primarily use company-level data. However, for very new companies with little data of their own, some bureau models may factor in director-level data as a proxy. As the company builds its own history, the reliance on director data typically diminishes. Credicorp does not run a personal credit check — it assesses the company.
Can I check my company's credit score?
Yes. All major business credit bureaux offer business credit reports that companies can purchase to see what a lender would see. Experian Business, Equifax Business, Creditsafe and Dun & Bradstreet all offer reports. Prices vary — a basic report is typically £20 to £40; subscription services offering monitoring are more. It is worth checking at least one bureau before applying for any business credit.
Ready to apply?
The assessment uses bureau data alongside bank statements. Apply when both are in good shape.