The report, explained
What's in a company credit report
A UK company credit report pulls the credit, financial and public-record information held on a business into a single online report. Here is exactly what each section covers, a sample of how it reads, and how to use it to set a credit limit or approve a new account.
Credit score & credit limit
The headline of the report. The credit score places the company on a risk scale, and the credit limit suggests a sensible maximum exposure. Together they let you decide, at a glance, whether and how much to trade on credit.
Public record
County court judgments (CCJs), insolvency and Gazette notices, and registered charges or mortgages secured against the company — the red flags that should weigh on any credit decision. Shown where held in the data.
Financials & filed accounts
Key figures from the company's Companies House filings — balance sheet, net worth and, where filed, profit-and-loss detail — so you can see the financial strength behind the score.
Directors & people with significant control
Current directors and secretaries, their other directorships, and the people or entities with significant control (PSCs) and group structure — useful for due diligence and for spotting connected risk.
Payment behaviour
Where payment data is held, an indication of how promptly the company settles its bills — a forward-looking signal that complements the filed accounts.
Company identity
Registered name and number, registered office, incorporation date, status and SIC activity — the basics that confirm you are reporting on the right business.
Report contents are shown where available. Coverage varies by company size and what each business has filed.
A sample of how it reads
Credit score
A clear score and risk band — for example "Low risk" — summarising the likelihood of failure.Credit limit
A suggested maximum credit exposure for the company, expressed as a figure you can adjust.Public record
Any CCJs, insolvency notices or charges, each with dates and amounts where held.How to use the report for a credit decision
Start with the score and credit limit to frame the decision, then read the public record for anything that should override the headline — a recent CCJ or insolvency notice is more telling than a single number. Check the filed accounts for direction of travel, and the directors and PSCs for connected risk. Treat the figures as a well-evidenced guide that informs your own judgement rather than a guarantee.
Read more about how company credit ratings and scores work →
Report types & prices
Choose the level of detail you need. Each report is bought with First Report credits — a report costs between one and three credits. All prices exclude VAT.
Buying credits
Credits are cheaper the more you buy, and unused credits stay valid for 12 months.
Annual licence
For higher volumes: 12 months' access to all UK reports for one payment, with company monitoring and a free debt-recovery email service included. No catches and no automatic renewal.
All prices exclude VAT. Reports are delivered online, drawn from the latest data held at the time of your search.
Questions about the report
What does a company credit score mean?
A company credit score summarises the likelihood that a business will fail or default over the coming period. A higher score generally indicates lower risk. It is a guide to inform your own decision, not a guarantee of how a company will behave.
What is a credit limit?
A credit limit is a suggested maximum amount of credit to extend to a company at any one time, based on its size, financial strength and risk. Use it as a starting point and adjust it to your own risk appetite.
Will the report show county court judgments?
Where they exist and are held in the data, registered CCJs against the business are shown, along with insolvency notices and registered charges. CCJ information is sourced from the Registry Trust.
How current is the information?
Reports are produced from the latest data held at the time of your search, including the most recent Companies House filings and public records available to us.
Related guides
What is a company credit report?
Read the guide →What’s in a report
See the breakdown →How to read a report
Interpretation guide →