Tax free childcare account – funding via Curve with underlying Barc Avios?

[WorldFlyer]

Does anyone know if using Barc Avios’s card works to fund a Tax Free Childcare account via Curve? Are there any cash advance fees if doing so?

[Rui N.]

Works fine, no fees so far. Don’t need fronted.

[WorldFlyer]

Thank you!

[GJS]

I’ve been meaning to ask for a while whether there are any creative options for TFC. I used to use the old Lloyds Avios card via Curve.

[davet]

I hadnt thought of this, thanks!

[zapato1060]

Rui N. wrote:

Works fine, no fees so far. Don’t need fronted.

Sorry as a new curve user, selecting the Barclays card to pay with Curve app, is that what you mean by fronting?

[NorthernLass]

No.

https://www.curve.com/en-gb/features/curve-fronted/

[nn]

Has this stopped working for others as well?

[George K]

Yup – now Fronted only

[tjob81]

mine worked last month but not this month

[Rui N.]

True, it changed sometime in September.
As discussed somewhere else in here there is now another option: you can use Zilch which goes in front of a regular debit card and gives you 2% cashback (which you can use to pay anything really).
If you join with this link you get £5 after first purchase (I get the same): https://zilch.onelink.me/sOUJ/rl2vcgog

[Toaster]

Rui N. wrote:

True, it changed sometime in September.
As discussed somewhere else in here there is now another option: you can use Zilch which goes in front of a regular debit card and gives you 2% cashback (which you can use to pay anything really).
If you join with this link you get £5 after first purchase (I get the same): https://zilch.onelink.me/sOUJ/rl2vcgog

2%? Is it not 0.5% for “use anywhere” transactions?

[Rui N.]

No. Tax free childcare is one of their “special retailers” that gives you 2%. You need to search for tax free childcare and it shows up.

[FatherOfFour]

Thanks. We don’t need to put loads through TFC anymore. Did about £300 through Creation with Curve before getting shutdown – don’t think it was related but super nervous these days.
But I might consider this for a little bit of CB – if it’s on a list of special retailers, one would assume it is approved by HM Treasury!

[Rui N.]

Worst thing that can happen is Zilch deciding to stop offering the bonus cashback or blocking payment to tax free childcare. This is completely kosher.

[qingzi]

Does Zilch have a rolling 30 day spending limit?

[Rui N.]

Don’t know, only use it for tax free childcare. It’s a lot of money, but apparently below any limits as I’ve never had any issues paying.

[Flyer123]

Trust this is limited to 2k per quarter to get the govt top-up ?
Does Virgin Atlantic work without fronted ?
I’ve been using the BA mastercard but earning rate isn’t that great but better than nothing.

[Rui N.]

You can put more than £2k, you just won’t get the govt top up. I pay all the nursery fees via the govt website (and it’s a bit more than 2k per quarter).
As noted above, this now requires Fronted.

[InsiderFly]

Noticed that TFC has now been removed as a special retailer on zilch. Is that the same for everyone else? Maybe the card can still be used for 0.5%?

[tobynow]

InsiderFly wrote:

Noticed that TFC has now been removed as a special retailer on zilch. Is that the same for everyone else? Maybe the card can still be used for 0.5%?

Just noticed this too. Doh! Any tips for other ways to get cashback/points on childcare fees? 0.5% is better than nothing but….

[Rui N.]

You cannot even get 0.5%, the payment fails if you try to pay tax free childcare with your Zilch card.

[tobynow]

Rui N. wrote:

You cannot even get 0.5%, the payment fails if you try to pay tax free childcare with your Zilch card.

Oh no! Good while it lasted….