What goes into a company credit report?

A company credit report is a summary of a limited company's identity, finances and payment behaviour, compiled by a business credit reference agency. Lenders, suppliers, landlords and larger customers read it before deciding whether, and how much, credit to offer. This guide explains what each section contains, where the data comes from and what to put right before you apply for finance. Smart Funding Solutions looks at the same information when matching a business to suitable lenders from its panel, so a clean report usually means more options.

01What a company credit report contains

Company information

Registered name and number, registered office, trading addresses, date of incorporation, company status (for example, active or in liquidation) and industry classification. Errors here can cause mismatches when a lender runs its checks, so keep your Companies House records accurate.

Directors, shareholders and group structure

Current and past directors, their other appointments, persons with significant control, and any parent or subsidiary companies. Some reports flag directors linked to previous failed companies, which lenders will usually ask about.

Financial information

Figures from the accounts filed at Companies House, such as turnover (where disclosed), profit, net worth, assets, liabilities and working capital. Smaller companies filing abridged or micro-entity accounts show less detail, which can make it harder for agencies and lenders to assess them. Up-to-date management accounts help fill that gap when you apply.

Credit score and credit limit

Each agency produces its own score or risk rating and a suggested credit limit, indicating how much a supplier might safely extend on trade credit. Scales and methods differ between agencies, so the same company can score differently on each.

Payment performance

Where suppliers share data, the report may show how many days beyond agreed terms the company typically pays invoices. Consistently late payment lowers the score and is one of the first things a trade supplier checks.

Public records and legal notices

• County Court Judgments, including whether they have been satisfied
• charges and mortgages registered at Companies House, showing which lenders hold security
• insolvency notices and Gazette entries, such as winding-up petitions

Filing history and searches

Whether accounts and confirmation statements were filed on time, and how many credit searches have recently been made. A cluster of recent searches can suggest a business is applying for credit in several places at once.

02Where the data comes from

Source	What it supplies
Companies House	Company details, officers, filed accounts and registered charges
Court records	County Court Judgments from the official register
The Gazette	Insolvency and other statutory notices
Lenders and finance providers	Account and repayment data
Suppliers	Trade payment data, where shared

You can view much of the public information free on the Companies House service.

03Why your company credit report matters

• Borrowing: lenders read it alongside your accounts and bank statements as part of their wider checks. Our guide to how lenders assess business loan applications explains where it fits.
• Supplier terms: a good report can mean higher trade credit limits and longer payment terms.
• Contracts: larger customers and public bodies often check suppliers' credit before awarding work.
• Insurance and leases: landlords and some insurers review it too.

For smaller and younger companies, lenders usually check directors' personal credit files as well, so a strong company report does not outweigh serious personal credit problems.

£50,000A transaction we arrangedHistoric loss. Improving numbers. £50K secured for dental growth.Several lenders focused on the previous year's numbers. We focused on what had changed.

04Common issues to check before applying for finance

• accounts or confirmation statements filed late, or overdue now
• an old registered office or trading address that no longer matches your bank records
• a CCJ that has been paid but is not yet marked as satisfied
• charges from lenders you have repaid that are still showing as outstanding at Companies House
• directors listed who have left, or new directors not yet recorded

Most of these are quick to fix and are worth sorting before a lender sees them. For longer-term steps, read how to improve your business credit score.

05Getting your company credit report

You can buy reports directly from business credit reference agencies, and some offer free basic checks. If your report shows problems, we can look for lenders whose criteria take account of past credit issues, including those covered on our bad credit business loans page.