Credit Repair UK

D

Daniel

Member
I’m looking for some solid advice on repairing my credit rating in the UK. My financial history is... complicated. I spent about 20 years dealing with heavy drug addiction including a decade on heroin though somehow I always managed to hold down good jobs. I’ve worked as a journalist, a web manager for a luxury supermarket, and now I’m a web manager for a well-known UK brand. During those years, I had a habit that cost about £100 a day, fed entirely by my salary. I also fell into the payday loan trap took out loans and then ignored the repayments. At the time, I convinced myself I was pushing back against predatory lenders, but the reality is I was just deep in addiction and not taking responsibility.
Fast forward to now: I’ve been clean from heroin for a while, I’m earning a decent salary (~£50k), and life is much more stable. I’ve got a low-limit credit card, a phone contract, and a small overdraft but I’m ready to repair the damage I caused to my credit and hopefully work toward bigger goals like buying a home with my partner (who also earns well).

Most of my old, horrible credit history has fallen off after 8+ years, but my Experian score is still sitting at 340, which is obviously not great. I only have around £600 in current debts, which is manageable but I’d really like to know how I can start rebuilding my credit in a meaningful way.

Has anyone here been in a similar position or gone through credit repair in the UK after a rough financial past?
Would love any tips, steps, or success stories especially anything that’s helped with improving mortgage chances down the line.

Appreciate any guidance you can offer. Cheers!
 
Mate just want to say massive respect for turning things around. Addiction is brutal and coming out the other side with a stable job and goals is something to be proud of. Credit can be rebuilt... slow and steady. I used the Credit Ladder rent reporting service and saw my score jump ~100 points in a year.
 
Since most of your defaults are over 6 years old and dropped off, you’ve already done the hardest bit. Keep that credit card under 30% usage and pay it off in full each month. Also consider something like LOQBOX ...... it’s a savings loan that reports to credit agencies.
 
As someone who’s been clean 8 years, I feel this post deep. The past does not define you, but the credit system sure likes to pretend it does. Keep consistent with payments and time will do the rest. Look into Experian Boost too it helped my file look more active.
 
what’s on your credit file now that’s pulling the score down? If most bad stuff has aged off, then maybe it's lack of positive activity that’s the issue. Lenders like seeing consistent, low-risk behaviour not just absence of debt.
 
Man i did 3 years in the financial abyss thanks to gambling and payday loans. Took me 5 years to get back in a lender’s good books. It’s not fast but it is doable. My best advice: patience, direct debits, and avoid credit repair scams like the plague.
 
You’re earning well, you’re stable, and you’re clean that’s an incredible foundation. Mortgage brokers LOVE stability. Get 12+ months of on-time bills and card payments under your belt, and that score will sort itself out. Use ClearScore and MSE Credit Club for regular free checks.
 
I was in a similar spot, minus the addiction but with wrecked credit from my 20s. Used a Capital One credit builder, made small monthly payments on Spotify + groceries, paid in full. Took 2 years but i just got a mortgage approved. You’re not far off.
 
Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion each score differently. Mortgage lenders usually pull from one or two, and weight things like CCJs, missed payments, and utilisation differently. So always check all three.
 
You climbed out of heroin addiction and held down jobs through it? You’re already a legend. Compared to that, credit repair is just a slow puzzle. Keep stacking those green ticks on your file and you’ll be shocked how much changes in 18 months.
 
I’m still not convinced the credit system in the UK is fair. You can earn 6 figures and still get denied a £300 credit limit if your score’s low. Total joke. That said, low utilisation and time are your best mates right now.
 
Here’s what worked for me:

Register to vote.

Check all 3 credit files for errors.

Set up a direct debit on credit card.

Keep usage under 25%.

Get a second small credit product (like a Klarna or catalogue you pay off immediately).
Rinse & repeat.
 
your honesty is powerful. Not many people can own their past like that. You’ve already done the hardest part. My partner and i started at sub-400 scores and now we’re approved for a shared ownership mortgage. It's absolutely possible.
 
My credit score is like my gym membership: technically exists, but no one believes i use it. Just show up consistently, mate. Lenders like boring and predictable.
 
As a mortgage advisor, i’ll echo what others said: the score itself is less important than the report details. If you’ve had a stable job, address, and clean banking for 12+ months, you're in a great place. Lenders will look at affordability too, not just history.
 
A year ago I had a 390 score. Now I’m at 570 and just got a £2,000 credit limit increase. All I did was make 3 payments a month (credit card, rent, phone), all on time. It compounds fast when you’re consistent.
 
Credit scores feel like punishment for being poor, honestly. You screw up once when you’re down and they make you pay for a decade. That said, you’ve got income and stability now, so it’s just a waiting game with good habits.
 
If you’re planning a mortgage in the next 12–18 months, talk to a specialist broker. Some lenders cater specifically to people with poor or thin credit histories. The high street may turn you away, but niche lenders often say yes.
 
Are you on the electoral roll at your current address? That’s low-hanging fruit for credit improvement. If not, get registered ASAP. It has more weight than most people think.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top