Finance glossary
Credit Reference Agency — CRA
Also known as: CRA, Experian, Equifax, TransUnion
In simple terms
A credit reference agency is a company that collects information about how you use credit and shares it with lenders. In the UK there are three main ones: Experian, Equifax and TransUnion.
On this page
What does credit reference agency mean?
A credit reference agency (CRA) gathers and holds information about how individuals and businesses manage credit, and supplies it to lenders and other organisations to help them make lending decisions. The three main UK agencies are Experian, Equifax and TransUnion.
They do not decide whether you get credit — that is the lender’s choice. The agencies simply provide the data and, in some cases, a score based on it.
How a credit reference agency works
Lenders and other firms send the agencies regular updates about your accounts and payments. When you apply for credit, the lender asks one or more agencies for your file, and may see a score the agency has calculated.
Each agency holds its own file and produces its own score, so the information about you is not identical across all three. Lenders choose which agency (or agencies) they use.
How could this affect me?
Because different lenders use different agencies, it is worth checking all three files so you know what any given lender might see. Keeping each one accurate and tidy improves your chances across the board.
If something on a file is wrong, you raise it with the agency holding it — and they must investigate and correct genuine errors.
Things to watch out for
- The agencies supply data — they do not decide whether you are accepted.
- Your file (and score) can differ between the three agencies.
- A lender may use only one agency, so a clean file elsewhere may not help with that lender.
- Free statutory reports are available; you should never have to pay to see the data an agency holds on you.
Know your rights
- You have the right to see the information each agency holds about you, including via a free statutory credit report.
- Under the Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR you can require inaccurate data to be corrected and add a notice of correction.
- If an agency does not deal with your dispute properly, you can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office.
General information, not personal advice
Consumer Credit is an independent information service. We do not provide regulated financial advice or sell financial products. For advice on your own situation, speak to an appropriately authorised firm or a free service such as MoneyHelper. About Consumer Credit.
Sources
We checked this page against these official and authoritative sources.
- Information Commissioner’s Office, Credit reference agencies — your data matters (opens in a new tab). Accessed 22 Aug 2026.
- MoneyHelper, What are credit reference agencies? (opens in a new tab). Accessed 22 Aug 2026.