Credit scoring and affordability data

Credit and affordability decisions rest on external data, and the rules around it are tightening. This guide covers the data behind credit scoring and how to source it responsibly.

Available across the EU. DataSupplier sources and delivers this data in all 27 European Union countries — including Germany, France, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands and Poland — and across the EEA, in the format and cadence you need.

Why credit data matters

Lending and affordability assessments depend on data about applicants and the economy. The quality, coverage and fairness of that data directly affect both risk and access to credit.

Types of data

• Bureau data: credit history and obligations.
• Open banking: consented transaction data for affordability.
• Alternative data: non-traditional signals where permitted.
• Macro: economic and sector context.

Open banking and consent

Open-banking data, shared with consent under PSD2 and successors, has transformed affordability assessment, but it depends on valid consent and careful handling.

Fairness and explainability

Credit decisions are high-stakes and regulated. Data and models must avoid discriminatory outcomes and support explainability, and emerging AI rules add expectations. Alternative data raises particular fairness questions.

Sourcing considerations

Lawful basis, consent and provenance are central, and bureau and open-banking data are tightly governed. Documentation supports compliance and model governance.

In a managed model

A managed partner can source credit-relevant data with lawful basis and provenance, supporting fairness and explainability requirements.

Open banking and fairness

Consented open-banking data has transformed affordability assessment, giving a direct view of income and spending, but its use depends on valid consent and careful handling under the GDPR. Bureau, alternative and macro data complete the picture. Because credit decisions are high-stakes and regulated, models must avoid discriminatory outcomes and support explainability, expectations that emerging AI rules reinforce, and alternative data raises particular fairness questions.

Provenance for regulated decisions

Credit data feeds decisions that affect people’s access to finance, so lawful basis, consent where required, and documented provenance are essential, not optional. Sourcing should evidence where each signal came from and on what basis, so the decision can be defended to a regulator or the individual.

Sources & further reading

• EUR-Lex: PSD2 and open-banking framework.
• EUR-Lex: Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR) and AI Act.
• EBA: guidelines on creditworthiness.
• National credit-reporting rules.