Soft Footprints: What Shows Up and Who Can See It

Every time a person or organisation looks at information held on a UK credit file, that lookup is recorded. These lookups are divided into two distinct categories — soft searches and hard searches — and the difference between them matters. This article explains what a soft credit check is, how it differs from a hard credit check, where each type shows up, who can see them, and how long they remain on a credit file. It covers the rules as they apply across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

Credit files in the UK are maintained by three major credit reference agencies (CRAs): Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. These agencies are authorised by the FCA for credit information services and are subject to data protection oversight by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). The FCA took over regulation of the consumer credit market from the Office of Fair Trading in April 2014. The way searches are recorded and displayed is governed by a combination of FCA regulation, the Consumer Credit Act 1974, the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), and the Data Protection Act 2018.

A soft credit check — also called a soft search, soft inquiry, or soft footprint — is a preliminary review of certain information on a credit file. It is recorded on the file, but it is only visible to the person whose file it is. No other lender, company, or organisation can see it. It does not affect credit scores.

A hard credit check — also called a hard search, hard inquiry, or hard footprint — is a full, in-depth examination of a credit report. It is visible to any organisation that subsequently searches the file and indicates that an application for credit has been made.

The core distinction is visibility: soft searches are private to the consumer; hard searches are visible to others.

When a credit reference agency receives a request to look at a person's credit file, it logs that request as either a soft search or a hard search, depending on the nature and purpose of the request. This classification is not something the consumer chooses — it is determined by the type of activity that triggered the lookup.

Soft searches are recorded on the credit file but are only visible to the consumer whose file it is. They cannot be seen by other organisations conducting credit checks, and they do not have any impact on credit scores. They serve as a record for the consumer's own reference.

Hard searches are also recorded on the credit file, but unlike soft searches, they are visible to any organisation that subsequently searches the file. They signal that the consumer has applied for credit, and their presence can be taken into account by other lenders.

Credit reference agencies are required by data protection law — specifically the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 — to have a lawful basis for processing the personal data involved in these searches. They primarily rely on legitimate interests as the lawful basis for processing, alongside other applicable bases depending on the activity, and must conduct assessments to ensure that those legitimate interests are not overridden by individuals' rights and freedoms.

It is also important to understand that not all lenders share information with all three CRAs. Some lenders report to all three; others report to only one or two. This means a soft or hard search will only appear on the credit file held by the particular CRA that was searched. A person checking their file with one agency may not see all searches that have been carried out.

Understanding which activities produce soft searches and which produce hard searches is central to understanding what appears on a credit file.

Activities that record a soft search:

• Checking one's own credit report or credit score. Self-checks are always soft searches. There is no limit to how frequently a person can check their own file, and doing so has no impact on their credit score.
• Eligibility checks and pre-approval or quotation checks carried out by lenders. These are used to predict the likelihood of an application succeeding without conducting a full examination. They are only visible to the consumer.
• Identity verification checks, such as those carried out by banks, utilities, or government-backed identity services. These checks are recorded as soft searches and do not affect credit scores. An entry is added to the credit record, but it is only visible to the consumer.
• Employer background checks do not provide access to a full credit file and are typically limited to identity and public-record information. These checks are carried out via third-party screening providers, generally for roles involving financial responsibility or handling money.
• Tenant referencing by landlords or letting agents may be recorded as a soft or hard search depending on the referencing provider. Landlords typically see public record information such as Electoral Roll entries, County Court Judgments, and insolvencies, but not full credit history.
• In most cases, insurance quotation checks for pay-monthly premiums are recorded as soft searches. Insurers may use credit information for underwriting purposes.

Activities that record a hard search:

• Formal applications for credit, including loans, credit cards, mortgages, and car finance. Hard searches are commonly used by lenders as part of their creditworthiness assessment.
• Applications for pay-monthly mobile phone contracts. Mobile phone companies conduct hard searches when a consumer applies for a post-pay contract.

Retention periods:

• Soft searches are retained for a limited period that varies by CRA and search type.
• Hard searches typically remain visible on a credit report for around 12 months, based on the standard timeframe cited by primary CRA sources.
• Credit account information — including payment history, defaults, County Court Judgments (CCJs), Individual Voluntary Arrangements (IVAs), and bankruptcies — remains on a credit file for six years. This is a separate and much longer retention period than that for search records.
• According to published guidance, multiple hard searches within a six-month period may have a cumulative effect on credit scores, though the exact impact varies depending on the CRA's scoring model.

Consumer access rights:

Under the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, a consumer can request a copy of their credit file from any CRA. The CRA must respond within one month, with the possibility of up to two additional months if the request is complex. This is free of charge, though the consumer must provide proof of identity. Although Section 158 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 refers to a £2 statutory credit report, consumers are entitled to a free report under UK GDPR, which has superseded this in practice. CRAs also offer enhanced reporting services, typically through subscription arrangements.

"Do soft searches affect my score?"

One of the most frequent areas of misunderstanding is the belief that soft searches affect credit scores. They do not. Soft searches are invisible to other lenders and have no bearing on how creditworthy a person appears.

Eligibility vs Application

Another common source of confusion is the difference between an eligibility check and a formal application. Many comparison websites and lenders now offer eligibility tools that use soft searches to give an indication of whether a product might be available, before any formal application is made. It is only when a formal application is submitted that a hard search is recorded.

Data Variance

People sometimes assume that all three CRAs hold the same information. They do not. Because not all lenders report to all three agencies, the searches recorded — and the credit information held — can differ between Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. Checking a file with one agency does not provide a complete picture of what is held across all three.

Self-Checks

There is also occasional confusion about whether checking one's own credit file leaves a mark that others can see. It does not. Self-checks are always classified as soft searches and are visible only to the consumer.

Retention vs Account History

Finally, the difference between how long searches remain on file and how long other credit information is retained is sometimes misunderstood. Soft searches are retained for a limited period that varies by CRA and search type. Hard searches typically remain visible for around 12 months. Credit account information, defaults, and court judgments remain for six years.

Utility providers

Whether a utility provider records a soft or hard search when a customer applies for services on credit terms may vary depending on the provider. Some utility companies conduct hard searches for credit assessment purposes, while others may use soft searches for identity verification. This variation means it is not possible to state a single rule that applies across all providers.

Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) providers

Reporting to CRAs by BNPL providers is inconsistent. According to published guidance, some BNPL providers — such as Klarna, which began reporting to Experian and TransUnion from June 2022 — do report to CRAs, while others, such as Clearpay, do not yet report. Whether a BNPL transaction generates a search record, and whether that search is soft or hard, may depend on the individual provider and whether the scheme is regulated.

Hard searches and removal

A hard search that results from a legitimate credit application made by the consumer cannot be removed from the credit file. If, however, a hard search appears that the consumer does not recognise, this may indicate fraud. In such cases, the matter should be investigated, and lenders are required to correct any damage if fraud is established.

Variation between CRAs

Because each lender may report to different CRAs, a search conducted by one lender may appear on the file held by one CRA but not another. This is a structural feature of how the UK credit reporting system operates and is not an error.

The practical significance of the distinction between soft and hard searches is that soft searches leave no trace visible to anyone other than the consumer. A person can check their own credit file, use eligibility tools, go through identity verification processes, and undergo employer background checks without any other lender or organisation being able to see that those lookups took place.

Hard searches, by contrast, create a visible record that other lenders can see. Because multiple hard searches in a short timeframe may, according to published guidance, be taken into account by credit scoring models, the timing and frequency of formal credit applications can be relevant to how a person's credit file appears to lenders.

The fact that search records are retained for a relatively limited period, while credit account data persists for six years, means the impact of searches is relatively short-lived compared to other information on a credit file.

Consumers have the legal right to access their own credit file, to see both soft and hard searches recorded on it, and to request correction of any information they believe to be wrong. These rights arise primarily under UK GDPR, supplemented by the Consumer Credit Act 1974 (including Section 159 for correction of data).

• Visibility Rule: A soft credit check is a preliminary review of credit file information that is recorded but visible only to the consumer. It does not affect credit scores.
• Hard Searches: A hard credit check is a full credit file examination that is visible to other organisations and signals that a credit application has been made.
• Soft Search Triggers: Common triggers include self-checks, eligibility tools, identity verification, employer background checks, and insurance quotation checks.
• Hard Search Triggers: Common triggers include formal credit applications and pay-monthly mobile phone contract applications.
• Retention: Soft searches are retained for a limited period. Hard searches typically remain visible for around 12 months. Credit account information, defaults, and court judgments remain for six years.
• Agency Differences: Not all lenders report to all three UK credit reference agencies, so the information held by Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion may differ.
• Consumer Rights: Consumers have the legal right to access their credit file, see all searches recorded on it, and request correction of inaccurate information.