✈️ Maximising Avios with HMRC Payments through Curve
Welcome to Smart With Points, the podcast where we dive into the world of travelling with miles and points. I'm your host, Jack, and today we're going to talk about how to maximise your Avios by paying HMRC through Curve. As we approach the end of the year, many of us are preparing for various HMRC payments, whether it's VAT, corporation tax, or self-assessment payments. But did you know that there's a clever way to earn Avios points from these necessary expenses? The key to making this work is combining Curve's Fronted feature with an Avios-earning credit card. Curve allows you to make payments to HMRC, which typically charge a high fee for accepting a credit card, while earning rewards on your preferred card. To make this work, you'll need a Curve Pay Pro+ subscription, which costs seventeen pounds ninety-nine per month, and either a Barclaycard Avios Plus for personal payments or a Capital on Tap Business card for business payments. Now, let's talk about the limits. Curve's Fronted allowance is currently three thousand pounds per rolling thirty-day period, not calendar month, without fees. Any amount over this incurs a two point five percent fee, which generally isn't worth it for points earning. But here's where it gets interesting - HMRC allows you to pre-pay your VAT and potentially other tax obligations. This means you could theoretically use your full three thousand pounds allowance twelve times per year, leading to thirty-six thousand pounds of fee-free payments and significant Avios earning potential. So, what could you earn by maximising the full thirty-six thousand pounds annual potential? Using the Barclaycard Avios Plus, you could earn fifty-four thousand Avios, which is equivalent to five hundred and forty to six hundred and forty-eight pounds in value, assuming a conservative valuation of one to one point two pence per Avios. The Curve Pay Pro+ annual fee would be two hundred and fifteen pounds eighty-eight, leaving you with a net value of three hundred and twenty-four pounds twelve to four hundred and thirty-two pounds twelve. Now, let's talk about the smart timing strategy. The rolling thirty-day period means you need to be strategic about timing. You should track your rolling thirty-day usage carefully, set calendar reminders for when your allowance refreshes, plan your pre-payments around your allowance refresh dates, and consider setting up a spreadsheet to track payment dates and amounts. We also have some pro tips for you. Always check your HMRC account balance before making pre-payments, keep detailed records of pre-payments for your accountant, and remember that pre-payments sit in your HMRC account until needed, so consider your cash flow carefully. If you're a business owner making regular VAT payments, the Capital on Tap Business card combined with Curve can be particularly valuable. The card has no forex fees and offers additional business-specific benefits. So, is it worth it? Let's look at the annual value proposition using the Barclaycard Avios Plus example. The fifty-four thousand Avios value is equivalent to five hundred and forty to six hundred and forty-eight pounds, and the Curve Pay Pro+ annual fee is two hundred and fifteen pounds eighty-eight, leaving you with a net value of three hundred and twenty-four pounds twelve to four hundred and thirty-two pounds twelve. Finally, remember to view this as a points-earning opportunity on money you need to spend anyway - never compromise your business's cash flow just to earn points. Always consult with your accountant about the implications of pre-paying your tax obligations. That's it for today's episode. Thanks for listening, and don't forget to subscribe to Smart With Points on all major platforms or on our website at smartwithpoints.co.uk. We'll catch you in the next episode.
