How to improve your credit score and get a good credit history

EVER bothered to check your credit report? If you haven't, it's time to do it now.

A bad credit file can mean you miss out on getting a mortgage for your dream home, the best credit card and loan deals, and even a mobile phone contract.

But if you have checked your report and it's not great - or had a credit application rejected - don't worry.

There's steps you can take to improve your score and get a good credit history, so you'll hopefully be able to access some of the best deals on the market.

With the help of money expert Andrew Hagger, The Sun takes a look at how you can boost your financial CV.

What is your credit history?

In the UK there are three Credit Reference Agencies (CRAs): Experian, Equifax and Callcredit.

All three firms hold data about your financial history - so things like your bank accounts, any credit cards or loans you have and the balances on them, and any late payments you've made.

Also included in the data is if you've had any County Court Judgements made against you and if you've been declared bankrupt.

The reason this information is really important is that when you apply for a new credit agreement - like a credit card, loan, or mobile phone agreement - lenders will use it to decide whether they will lend to you or not, and if they do, what deal you'll get.

What is your credit score?

Credit reports can be confusing  - and one of the problems is that Brits think they have an overall score which shows if they'll be accepted for credit or not.

In fact, there is no universal score - the score you get from the CRAs when you check your report is just an indication of your overall credit-worthiness and shows how likely you are to be accepted for an agreement.

So Experian will rate you on a scale of 0-99, Equifax from 0-700 and Callcredit from 0-710.

And remember - the CRAs don't decide if you're going to be accepted for a deal or not - they just provide details of your money history to lenders who will make the ultimate decision.

I've been rejected for credit - how can I improve my score?

Although there's no such thing as a credit blacklist which bans Brits from accessing any form of credit, if you've had money trouble in the past you might find lots of lenders won't consider lending to you.

But there are things you can do to help improve your rating.

In February, the Sun reported on what actions boost your Experian credit score - and what doesn't.

And here are some tips that'll help you get your credit report on the right track - remember that it's all about showing that you can be a responsible borrower.