There are a number of potential reasons for this: If you have missed any payments - this could have made a mark on your credit report and make you look unreliable to a potential lender. This could be anything from a loan or credit card repayment, mobile phone contract or missing a mortgage payment. You are not registered on your local electoral roll You have financial ties to someone with a bad credit history You have a lot of potential credit – a lender will also take into account how many bank accounts you have and how much debt you currently hold or credit you could use.   You may also be a victim of not even having a credit history - good or bad - or of identity fraud. Many young people struggle to get their first credit card as lenders do not have a financial history to compare.