Ratings & scores
Company credit rating
Check the credit rating on any UK company: the score, the risk band and the credit limit, with a plain explanation of how ratings are worked out, what the bands mean, and how to read them.
What a company credit rating is
A company credit rating is a short, evidence-based view of how likely a UK business is to fail or default over the coming year. It is usually shown as a score on a fixed scale, together with a risk band (for example low, moderate or high risk) and a suggested credit limit. Together they let you judge, at a glance, whether to offer credit terms to a customer or supplier and how much.
The rating is the headline figure. The evidence behind it (the filed accounts, public record, payment behaviour and director information) sits in the full company credit report.
The company credit rating scale
Ratings are banded so you can act on them quickly. A higher score means lower risk, and the bands map to a consistent meaning:
Lower risk
A strong score and a higher suggested credit limit. Comfortable for normal trade terms and larger orders.Moderate risk
A mid-range score. Workable for many accounts, often with a set credit limit or a closer review of recent filings.Higher risk
A low score and a tighter suggested limit. Worth pro-forma terms, a personal guarantee, or a closer look before trading.What goes into a company credit rating
A rating weighs several signals together, where each is available, rather than relying on any single factor:
- Financial strength and trend from filed accounts: net worth, working capital and the direction of travel over several years.
- Payment behaviour: how promptly the business settles its bills, where that data is held.
- Public record: county court judgments, insolvency and Gazette notices, and registered charges.
- Age, size and structure: trading history, sector and any group or parent relationships.
Because it is a model-based guide, a rating informs your decision rather than guaranteeing how a company will behave. A recent judgment or a sharp fall in net worth can matter more than the headline number.
Credit rating, credit score and credit report: what is the difference
The three terms are closely related and often used loosely. The credit score is the underlying number on a scale; the credit rating is how that score is interpreted into a risk band and a suggested credit limit; and the credit report is the full document that shows the score, the rating and all the evidence behind them. When you run a report you get all three. Read more in credit rating, score and report explained.
How to check a company’s credit rating
Enter the business name on the homepage to search, then choose a report. The rating, risk band and suggested credit limit appear in every company credit report, from the Basic report upwards. To see exactly where the rating sits, view an annotated example report, or read how to read a company credit report.
Data you can rely on
Company credit reports are built from official and commercial sources, including Companies House filings, insolvency notices in The Gazette, and county court judgment data from the Registry Trust, combined with payment and risk information. Reports reflect the latest data held at the time of your search. creditreports.co.uk is a First Report service. See where our data comes from.
Company credit rating FAQs
What is a good company credit rating?
A higher score means lower assessed risk. Broadly, a strong score is comfortable for normal trade terms, a mid-range score suggests moderate risk worth a set credit limit, and a low score calls for caution. The right threshold depends on your own risk appetite and the size of the exposure.
Is a credit rating the same as a credit score?
They are closely related. The credit score is the underlying number on a scale; the credit rating is how that score is interpreted into a risk band and a suggested credit limit. Both appear in a company credit report. See our guide to credit rating, score and report.
How often do company credit ratings change?
Ratings are recalculated as new information arrives, such as a freshly filed set of accounts, a new county court judgment, a change in payment behaviour or an insolvency notice, so a rating can move between one check and the next.
What is a recommended credit limit based on?
It is based on the company’s size, financial strength and risk, and suggests a sensible maximum exposure at any one time. You can use it as a starting point and adjust it to your own risk appetite.
Can I check my own company’s rating?
This site is for checking other UK businesses for trade decisions. Seeing and monitoring your own company’s score is a separate, owner-focused service through First Report.
Does a company credit rating guarantee a company will pay?
No. A rating is a well-evidenced guide to risk, not a promise of future conduct. Always read it alongside the public record and the most recent accounts.
Related guides
What is a company credit report?
Read the guide →What’s in a company credit report
Read the guide →How to read a company credit report
Read the guide →