Access to credit at affordable rates helps people get what they need in life – from having a home or building a business, to paying for education and healthcare.

Read on for examples of how our products and services help in practice.

 

The challenge

The way lenders often have to make decisions is a bit like looking through a keyhole. They have some information about a consumer, but not the whole picture.

For millions of US consumers, the amount of information available to lenders is limited. This can mean their credit files are too thin to be scorable.

Enabling lenders to access information on transactions from consumers’ bank accounts through open banking can help to widen the view through the keyhole. And our research shows that 71% of US consumers are willing to provide this information if it increases their likelihood of qualifying for credit. 

Our solution

Experian’s Cashflow Score enables lenders to more accurately assess risk, particularly for applicants with limited or non-existent credit histories.

Cashflow Score uses consumer-permissioned banking data to generate a risk score ranging from 300 to 850 that predicts the likelihood of an individual going 60 days past due date for payments in the next 12 months. It can be used as a standalone score or to complement traditional credit scores to provide deeper visibility into a consumer’s financial health.

Experian Credit + Cashflow Score goes a step further. This first-of-its-kind solution brings together traditional credit data on more than 250 million US consumers with alternative data, consumer-permissioned banking information and 24-month trended data on how consumers manage credit over time into a single score.

Impact

  • Cashflow Score lifts the predictive performance of risk assessments by up to 25% by providing lenders with a clearer view of an applicant's financial behaviour

 

The challenge

Consolidating legacy debts into a new, more affordable loan can help people reduce the interest they are paying and make their debts more manageable.

But there can be an issue of ‘double counting’ when both the individual debts and the new consolidated loan are factored into affordability assessments.

This can make their total debts appear much larger and, as a result, they may not get approved for a debt consolidation loan.

Our solution

Our innovative ReFi technology solves the issue of double counting by paying off existing debts directly with creditors so lenders assess only the new loan.

This enables them to extend offers to people who would previously have been declined and increase access to affordable credit.

We’re partnering with Fair4All Finance to expand access to ReFi for more people in financially vulnerable circumstances.

Impact

  • ReFi has consolidated loans totalling over £75 million since launch on Experian marketplace in October 2024

 

The challenge

Health challenges can be highly stressful. Unpredictable or unexpected medical bills can amplify this stress.

We surveyed over 1,000 patients in the USA. 

Of these, 48% say they’re likely to postpone or cancel care without an estimate – and 82% say an accurate estimate helps them better prepare to pay.

Our solution

Patient Estimates is a user-friendly, web-based pricing transparency tool for hospitals, medical facilities and physicians that creates accurate estimates of authorised services for patients before or at the point-of-service.

It combines data from multiple sources, including payer contract terms, the patient’s insurance benefits and financial assistance policies for self-pay patients.

The resulting estimates help patients understand potential treatment costs so they can plan and avoid unexpected expenses, make informed decisions about their healthcare options by comparing the costs and benefits of different treatment plans, and reduce financial anxiety so they can focus more on their recovery and less on potential financial stress.

Impact

  • Over 38 million estimates generated using Experian Patient Estimates in FY26

The challenge

Many service providers, like banks and utilities, offer additional support for consumers who have disclosed their accessibility support needs.

But the process of contacting multiple providers to explain their support needs can be daunting and time-consuming for consumers.

Our solution

Support Hub aims to remove the frustration and anxiety people feel when contacting service providers to explain their support needs. And it enables organisations, including Experian clients, to enhance accessibility.

The one-stop portal allows people with support needs in the UK to tell multiple businesses how they want to be contacted and what support they require in one quick and simple process. Users are in full control of the information they disclose to which organisations, and can register needs without disclosing their disability.

Needs could include a preferred method of communication, longer appointments or being accompanied by another adult for assistance. Users can also alert organisations about life events such as long-term health issues, bereavement, relationship breakdown or financial difficulties. 

Impact

  • Over 30 organisations have signed up to Support Hub to help them provide appropriate accessibility support to consumers.

We worked with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to showcase how we’re contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals through products and services that are helping to enhance access to finance and promote sustainable land use among farmers in Brazil.