Guide
What’s in a company credit report
A section-by-section guide to what a UK company credit report contains, and what each part tells you.
Credit score and 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 when you extend trade credit. Together they frame the decision.
Public record
County court judgments (CCJs), insolvency and Gazette notices, and registered charges or mortgages secured against the company. These are the red flags that should weigh on any credit decision, shown where held in the data.
Filed accounts and financials
Key figures from the company’s Companies House filings, such as net worth, working capital and the trend over several years, so you can see the financial strength behind the score.
Directors and people with significant control
Current directors and secretaries and their other directorships, plus the people with significant control (PSCs) — broadly, anyone holding more than 25% of the shares or voting rights, or who can appoint or remove most of the board — and any group or parent structure. This is what lets you see who really stands behind the business and spot connected risk across linked companies.
Payment behaviour (Days Beyond Terms)
Where payment data is held, the report shows how promptly the company pays its suppliers, usually summarised as Days Beyond Terms (DBT) — the average number of days past the invoice due date that bills are actually settled. Zero means it pays on time; a rising DBT is an early warning of cash-flow strain, often visible before it reaches the filed accounts, which makes payment behaviour a forward-looking complement to the historic financials.
See it in context
To see where each section sits in a real layout, view the annotated example report, then read how to read a company credit report.
FAQs
What does ‘Days Beyond Terms’ mean on a credit report?
Days Beyond Terms (DBT) is the average number of days past the invoice due date that a company actually pays its suppliers. Zero means it pays on time; a rising DBT is an early sign of cash-flow strain, often before it shows up anywhere else.
What is a person with significant control (PSC)?
A PSC is someone who ultimately owns or controls the company — broadly, anyone holding more than 25% of the shares or voting rights, or who can appoint or remove most of the board. The report lists them so you can see who is really behind the business.
Does every section appear on every report?
No. Items are shown where the data is held. A long-established limited company shows full filed accounts; a newer or non-limited business may have less financial detail, so the report leans more on the public record and payment data.
Related guides
What is a company credit report?
Read the guide →How to read a company credit report
Read the guide →Credit rating, score and report explained
Read the guide →