Experian. I'm invisible

[TotallyInappropriate]

I was trying to set up a National Lottery account. They verify you via Experian. Apparently Experian do not have a record for me. I've lived in the same house for 20 years. I had a mortgage (now paid off). Apart from that I've never had a loan or a credit card.
Its crazy that they can't verify me. I've got no debts and plenty of savings ffs.

Are you on the electoral roll? That's the main thing.

Another issue could be address not being recorded correctly (eg if it's a name rather than a number or 1a/1b)

yes. I've been voting for 25 years! No name of house just a number

No credit accounts at all like a pay monthly mobile phone? A sofa or mattress or car on tick?

Credit rating is solely based on your credit footprint, so if you have no footprint they can't rate you.

Hence credit building is an art form.

Our bank said I didn’t have a credit rating when we applied for a mortgage. We checked my Experian and a) I did exist, b) my credit rating was strong and c) we could see that the bank had viewed me!

Is there maybe sometimes a glitch or something? But yes, it may be that you need to take out a credit card or similar to build your credit rating.

I'm 53. I've no intention of taking out a loan or credit card just to open a nation lottery account.

BONKERS!

I'm being penalised for never getting in debt or needing loans apart from a mortgage!

Can you provide documents instead if IDV requirements?

Well, I’m not sure why the National Lottery need you to have a credit rating, but otherwise it makes sense that lenders don’t want to lend to people without a credit history.

Ive had and paid off a mortgage. other than that Ive lived within my means

We are similar to you in that we have never had debt other than a mortgage, which is now paid off. We do have phone contracts and were advised to get a credit card so we could build a credit history and keep it going in case we need it. We use it a few times a year and pay it off immediately. It's annoying to effectively be penalised for living within our means!

I’m sure you’re perfectly trustworthy but the point is, you don’t have a credit history as evidence that you’ll pay back unsecured debt. We live within our means but we have a credit card we use to buy large purchases for the consumer protection it provides, we pay it off every month so never have interest to pay. That shows lenders that we’re a good ‘bet’, if we ever need credit.

Plus seeing as the lottery won't let you pay with a credit card and you pay up front, why on earth would you need a credit history? Unless it's to stop people with gambling problems?

no idea

I used to work for Camelot.

They’re not doing a credit check on you. It’s to check you live in the UK or IOM. Call them (National Lottery) OP - they can tweak elements of your address or advise how to get Experian to ‘see’ you.

You’re not being penalised ffs, if you choose not to have a credit account then the consequence is that you don’t show up on the credit reference agency databases. Credit reference agencies don’t know that you have savings, why would they? that’s between you and your bank. They will be checking with Experian for proof of address or anti money laundering regs.