Learning Zone
The online home of Experian's consumer education programme
Understanding your credit report
Experian's consumer education programme aims to raise public awareness of the role credit reference agencies play in the credit-granting process and to help people understand and look after their credit reports.
The Credit Reference Agency Explained is a complete 24-page guide to our UK credit reference agency, available here in PDF format (1021Kb) Download » The Credit Reference Agency Explained |
Our example credit report will help you see what information credit reports can include - PDF format (47Kb) Download » example credit report |
Your Credit Report Explained is a step-by-step guide to help you understand your Experian credit report - PDF format (47Kb) Download » Your Credit Report Explained |
Credit Report Basics is a series of straightforward fact sheets to help you understand how credit reports are produced and used. The fact sheets cover bankruptcy, the Electoral Register, credit report myths and IVAs (Individual Voluntary Arrangements).
Your Credit Report and Bankruptcy explains what bankruptcy is and how it could affect your creditworthiness - in PDF format (174Kb) Download » Bankruptcy |
Your Credit Report and the Electoral Register - This guide explains why registering to vote at your current address will help you get credit. Download PDF format (109Kb) Download » Electoral Register |
Credit Report Myths uncovers the truth behind some of the myths surrounding your credit report and how credit reference agencies work - PDF format (171Kb) Download » Myths |
Your Credit Report and Individual Voluntary Arrangements (IVAs) explains what an IVA is and how entering into one might affect your credit history - PDF format (138Kb) Download » IVAs |
Life events and credit
Our Credit Crossroads guides help you look after your credit history at particular times in your life. You can download electronic copies of the guides or order printed copies.
Refused Credit (164Kb PDF format) Download » Refused Credit Living Together (177Kb PDF format) Download » Living Together Moving Home (165Kb PDF format) Download » Moving Home Relationship Breakdown (164Kb PDF format) Download » Relationship Breakdown Students and Young People (176Kb PDF format) Download » Students and Young People Bereavement or Serious Illness (187Kb PDF format) Download » Bereavement or Serious Illness Redundancy or Reduction of Income (180Kb PDF format) Download » Redundancy or Reduction of Income |
Identity fraud
Our booklet Identity Fraud Explained will help you understand identity fraud and take steps to reduce your risk of becoming a victim. It will also help you spot the common signs of fraud and tell how you can sort it out.
Identity Fraud Explained - PDF format (380Kb) Download » Identity Fraud Explained |
Students and young people
We aim to help young people develop the knowledge and skills they need to manage money and credit sensibly. As well as supporting initiatives like Young Consumers of the Year and the Consumer Challenge Quiz, we produce a number of resources, including our teaching pack Getting Credit: A Beginner's Guide and a 3D computer adventure game called Creditability »
Our Credit Crossroads – Students and Young People leaflet includes wide-ranging advice for youngsters on money and credit - (176Kb PDF format) Download » Students and Young People |
Getting Credit: A Beginner's Guide is a teaching pack designed to provide a range of resources and activities to help explain the process of applying for credit and the role credit reference agencies play. The activities are developed around numeracy and literacy themes. PDF format (622Kb) Download » Getting Credit: A Beginner's Guide |
Getting Credit: A Beginner's Guide has been developed by Experian in partnership with the Basic Skills Agency. It has been tested in schools and colleges, and improved using feedback from teachers and learners.
A variety of literacy, numeracy and financial skills are needed to enable people to choose, apply for and manage credit successfully. The six one-and-a-half-hour sessions in this pack have been designed to help support the teaching of these skills. The resources and activities in this pack are suitable for working with anyone aged 14 years and above in the UK.
The sessions follow the journey people often undertake choosing, applying for and managing credit. The three stages of the journey are as follows:
- Thinking it through
- Applying for credit
- When help is needed
The pack is suitable for teaching financial capability in PSHE, Citizenship or for teaching literacy and numeracy to Basic Skills or Key Skills learners. Download the complete pack below or order the pack in printed format.
The pack contains:
- Background information and mapping
- Session one: What is credit?
- Session two: Shopping around?
- Session three: Credit Scoring
- Session four: Credit decisions
- Session five: Credit crossroads
- Session six: Identity fraud
- Map, sample credit report and game
- A-Z and activity booklet
The
pfeg Quality Mark shows that this resource meets the pfeg quality
standards. At the time of issue the resource contains educational
benefits and accurate financial information. Visit www.pfeg.org
» for further information.
Creditability
Our 3D financial capability computer game Creditability » takes young people on an exciting, interactive journey through four real-life environments. The game comes with a player manual and supporting materials for teachers.
Printed resources order form
Use this form to order printed copies of our consumer education guides and packs.
Your feedback
Your feedback matters to us and will help us improve our resources and, perhaps, identify new ones. Please do not use this form to submit specific questions about your credit report.
Consumer Affairs Review
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Read the latest edition of our Consumer Affairs Review for news of our recent education projects and other consumer-related issues - PDF format (627Kb) Download » Consumer Affairs Review |
Problem with your Experian credit report? For advice about your personal credit report, visit our Credit Report Help Centre |
PDF documents downloaded from this page can be viewed with free software from Adobe |
| We have developed our Creditability game to help young people become knowledgeable and responsible consumers Our Ask James credit advice column tackles your questions about credit and credit checks |
| Our partners We support the Young Consumers of the Year competition, run by Trading Standards Our schools resources have been awarded Quality Marks by pfeg, an independent charity that helps schools teach personal finance Personal Finance Education Group » We work closely with Citizens Advice, providing guides and credit reports to people seeking advice about unmanageable debt |
