API reference

Decision reason: adverse_credit

Q: Where does adverse_credit appear in the payload?

Under data.object.reason in the decision.completed webhook. Verify the signature, then branch on it.

adverse_credit is a decision reason value. Adverse credit signals led to a decline. It appears in the <a href="/reference/event-decision-referred/">decision.completed</a> webhook payload under reason. Decline respectfully; do not expose the underlying data in the response.

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adverse_creditreason value

decisionDomain

data.objectCarries reason

What it means

Adverse credit signals led to a decline. Material adverse markers on the business credit profile.

Where you see it

It arrives in the webhook payload:

{
  "data": {
    "object": {
      "id": "dec_5H2N8",
      "enquiry_id": "enq_9F3K2P",
      "outcome": "declined",
      "reason": "adverse_credit"
    }
  }
}

How to handle it

Decline respectfully; do not expose the underlying data in the response.

Keep declines respectful and never expose the underlying assessment data. See how to apply and the eligibility criteria.

In practice

Treat adverse_credit as one branch of your reason handling, not the whole story. For decisions, the value explains the outcome so you can present it honestly without exposing the assessment. Map it to clear, humane copy, and where relevant signpost a constructive next step — a smaller amount, more trading evidence, or a later re-application. Never surface the raw code to the customer.