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<p>The Government believes that a consumer without a comprehensive credit rating should
have fair access to credit.</p><p> </p><p>To support those struggling to access credit,
in 2018, the Government announced the winners of its £2 million Rent Recognition Challenge.
The winners offer apps for renters to record and share their rent payment data, helping
boost their credit score. Further, since 2019, the Government has provided £96 million
to Fair4All Finance to increase the financial resilience and wellbeing of people in
vulnerable circumstances through improving availability of fair and accessible financial
products and services.</p><p> </p><p>For consumers struggling to access credit, Credit
Reference Agencies can advise consumers to add a Notice of Correction (of up to 200
words) to their credit report explaining any special circumstances, and to explain
how their situation has now changed or improved. The content of the Notice should
be taken into account alongside the information on the consumer’s report.</p><p> </p><p>To
support pensioners, those in receipt of Pension Credit may be able to apply for Budgeting
Loans available through DWP’s Social Fund. These are interest-free loans, which are
repayable from benefit awards and are designed to help with intermittent expenses
that are considered difficult to budget. Those in receipt of Universal Credit can
access new claim advances at the beginning of their claim should they have upfront
costs. There are also budgeting or change of circumstances advances, available throughout
a Universal Credit claim, should someone encounter unexpected one-off expenses.</p>
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