# How to pay your VAT bill, and earn points on it

Rules checked 2026-09-29. By the RewardsPilot team.

A VAT bill is usually due one calendar month and 7 days after the end of the VAT period, paid to HMRC with your 9-digit VAT number as the reference. HMRC takes corporate cards for a fee but not personal credit cards. Paid through RewardsPilot, the bill earns 4 points per £1.

## When the VAT bill is due

- The deadline for submitting a VAT Return online is usually one calendar month and 7 days after the end of the accounting period, and it is also the deadline for paying. Your VAT online account shows the exact date.
- The payment must reach HMRC's account by the deadline, even if it falls at a weekend or on a bank holiday.
- HMRC charges late payment interest and penalties on VAT paid late.

## The payment reference

Your 9-digit VAT registration number, without spaces. A surcharge or penalty uses the 14-character reference starting with X on HMRC's letter.

## Ways to pay HMRC

- Direct Debit, set up in your VAT online account at least 3 working days before you submit the return.
- Approving a payment through your online bank account.
- Faster Payments, CHAPS or Bacs to HMRC VAT: sort code 08 32 00, account 11963155.
- Debit or corporate credit card online.

### Paying by credit card

HMRC accepts a corporate credit card or corporate debit card online, for a non-refundable fee, and a personal debit card free. It does not accept personal credit cards. A card payment counts on the day it is made, even at weekends and on bank holidays.

Source: GOV.UK, "Pay your VAT bill" (https://www.gov.uk/pay-vat); GOV.UK, "Submit a VAT Return: deadlines" (https://www.gov.uk/submit-vat-return). Checked 2026-09-29.

## Paying the VAT bill through RewardsPilot

1. Submit the VAT bill in the member portal with its amount, reference and pay-by date.
2. RewardsPilot invoices the business. The invoice is due one day before the bill's pay-by date, so HMRC is paid on time.
3. RewardsPilot pays HMRC on the business's behalf, using the reference on the VAT bill.
4. When RewardsPilot's invoice is paid and clears, 4 RewardsPilot points per £1 of the VAT bill are credited. They never expire, transfer to airline miles, or sell back for cash at 3%.

| VAT bill | RewardsPilot invoice (bill + 20% VAT on our service) | Points earned | Or sold back for cash |
|---|---|---|---|
| £25,000 | £30,000 | 100,000 | £750 |

## The VAT on RewardsPilot's invoice

RewardsPilot's invoice is for its own service, Corporate Membership and Business Services Ecosystem, and VAT is applied to the full taxable supply value.

Under the specialist tax advice and sign-off obtained for the approved structure, for VAT-registered businesses using the services for taxable business activities, the VAT is intended to be recoverable through the normal VAT return process, subject to the business's individual VAT position and the normal VAT recovery rules. In those circumstances it is principally a cash-flow timing consideration rather than a long-term additional cost.

This is not tax advice. Each business and its accountant should satisfy themselves that VAT recovery is appropriate to their circumstances, and RewardsPilot will speak directly with your accountant.

## Questions

### Can I pay my VAT bill by credit card?

HMRC accepts a corporate credit card or corporate debit card online, for a non-refundable fee, and a personal debit card free. It does not accept personal credit cards. A card payment counts on the day it is made, even at weekends and on bank holidays. Paying through RewardsPilot is different: the business pays RewardsPilot's invoice from its bank account and RewardsPilot pays HMRC.

### When is my VAT bill due?

The deadline for submitting a VAT Return online is usually one calendar month and 7 days after the end of the accounting period, and it is also the deadline for paying. Your VAT online account shows the exact date.

### How many points does a £25,000 VAT bill earn?

100,000 RewardsPilot points, at 4 per £1. RewardsPilot's invoice is £30,000: the £25,000 VAT bill plus £5,000 VAT on RewardsPilot's service. Sold back for cash, the points are worth £750.

### Does HMRC still get paid on time?

Yes. RewardsPilot's invoice is due one day before the pay-by date, and RewardsPilot pays HMRC using the reference on the VAT bill.

### Is the VAT on RewardsPilot's invoice recoverable?

Under the specialist tax advice and sign-off obtained for the approved structure, for VAT-registered businesses using the services for taxable business activities, the VAT is intended to be recoverable through the normal VAT return process, subject to the business's individual VAT position and the normal VAT recovery rules. In those circumstances it is principally a cash-flow timing consideration rather than a long-term additional cost.

Rules are quoted from GOV.UK and can change; check your own bill or account for your deadline.

Apply: https://www.rewardspilot.co.uk/apply · Request a call: https://www.rewardspilot.co.uk/request-a-call

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Canonical URL: https://www.rewardspilot.co.uk/pay/vat
Markdown version: https://www.rewardspilot.co.uk/pay/vat.md
Last reviewed: 2026-09-29
Contact: info@rewardspilot.co.uk · 0161 850 2526
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