Updating Your Credit File
After a Name Change

One of the biggest concerns after changing your name is that your hard-earned credit history might vanish. If the Credit Reference Agencies (CRAs) don't link your old name to your new one, you may appear to have "no credit history," making it difficult to get a mortgage, loan, or even a mobile phone contract.

1. Update Your Banks & Lenders First

The CRAs receive monthly data feeds from your bank, credit card providers, and utility companies. Once you update your name with these institutions using your Prime Deed Poll, they will report the change to the CRAs automatically. Within 4-8 weeks, your credit file should reflect your new name as the primary name, with your old name listed under "Aliases."

2. The Electoral Roll (Crucial Step)

Your presence on the Electoral Roll is one of the strongest indicators of identity for credit scoring. You must contact your local council to update your name on the voters' register. Once the council processes this, it will be flagged to the CRAs, and your score will remain stable.

3. Contacting the Big Three

If your name hasn't updated after two months, you should contact the three main agencies directly to ensure your files are "linked":

4. Check for "Thin Files"

After 90 days, we recommend pulling a statutory credit report from all three providers. Check that your financial links (joint accounts with partners) and credit accounts have all moved over to the new name. If any are missing, your credit score may drop temporarily until they are manually linked.