How to read a bank statement

Start with income: is there a recurring deposit, from a consistent payer, of a consistent amount, on a consistent date? That pattern is what makes income verifiable, and its absence is what causes unverifiable-income declines.

Then debit orders: how many, how much in total, and crucially whether any bounced. A bounced debit order is a stronger negative signal than a low balance, because it evidences a commitment you could not meet.

Then the shape of the month: what the balance looks like in the last week. An account that reaches zero every month reads as strain; one that holds a buffer reads as room.

Then anything that looks unusual to an outsider: large cash deposits without explanation, transfers to and from betting platforms, or payments to other credit providers you did not mention. Assessors notice all three.

Reading your own statement this way for three months is genuinely predictive. If you would decline yourself, a lender probably will too.