How to qualify for Tide's £200 reward with NEW200

Two rewards, two separate conditions

The headline figure is a maximum, not a guaranteed amount. Each part has its own condition and deadline, so treat them as two tasks.

Who is eligible

The rewards are aimed at businesses new to Tide. If your company, or you as a director, already bank with Tide, check the full terms before assuming you qualify.

• New Tide customers only.
• Account approval is required and is at Tide's discretion.
• Enter or apply via the NEW200 offer route.
• Tide's full terms and qualifying transaction rules apply.

Meeting the card-spend condition

Use the Tide card for genuine business purchases you would make anyway, such as software subscriptions, stationery or equipment. Keep a record of the transactions and dates.

Some transaction types are commonly excluded from promotional spend, such as cash withdrawals, refunds or transfers. Read Tide's qualifying transaction rules before relying on a purchase.

1. 1

   Activate the card as soon as it arrives.

2. 2

   Make qualifying purchases totalling at least £100.

3. 3

   Finish well inside the 30-day window.

4. 4

   Keep receipts for your bookkeeping.

Meeting the Instant Saver condition

This part needs £5,000 of company money placed in a Tide Instant Saver within seven days of opening it, then held for one month. It suits companies that already have capital, such as a founder loan or an early contract payment.

Do not move money you need for running costs. Withdrawing below the threshold during the holding period could lose the reward.

Worth knowing: Only use company funds; a director paying personal money in should record it as a director's loan or share capital.

Common reasons people miss out

Set two calendar reminders on the day the account opens: one for the 7-day deposit deadline and one for the 30-day spend deadline.

• Assuming the account opening alone pays a reward.
• Missing the 7-day deposit window.
• Withdrawing savings before the month is up.
• Using non-qualifying transactions for the card spend.
• Not being a new customer.

Recording rewards in the company books

Rewards paid to the company are generally company income and should be recorded in its accounts. Ask your accountant how to treat them in your Corporation Tax return.

Worked examples: what different founders actually earn

Because the £200 is made up of two independent rewards, the outcome depends entirely on what you do after opening the account. The examples below show common patterns. They assume the person is an eligible new customer, used code NEW200 through the formation link and was approved. They are illustrations, not promises: Tide's live terms decide what counts.

The founder who earns nothing is not unusual. Opening an account and then using a personal card for early business expenses, or simply not getting round to spending within the window, means the card-spend reward is missed. Equally, many new companies simply do not have £5,000 of spare cash in the first weeks, so the savings element is out of reach for them. That is fine; the formation is still £14.99 including the Companies House fee.

What usually counts as qualifying card spend

Card-spend promotions almost always count genuine purchases made with the physical or virtual card, and exclude transactions that look like moving money rather than buying something. The exact list is in Tide's terms and can change, so treat the table below as a guide to the kind of distinctions providers draw, then confirm against the live page.

The simplest approach is to route ordinary start-up costs through the Tide card from the day it arrives: software subscriptions, a domain and website hosting, office supplies, equipment, travel or advertising. That is spending the company needed to do anyway, it creates a clean bookkeeping trail, and it keeps business and personal money separate, which your accountant will thank you for.

Avoid inventing spending to hit the threshold. A director buying something personal on the company card creates a director's loan or a benefit-in-kind question, and the reward is worth far less than the accounting time to unpick it.

Thinking through the savings condition

The £125 savings reward needs at least £5,000 deposited into a Tide Instant Saver within seven days of opening it, and kept there for a month. The timing runs from opening the savings pot, so do not open it until the money is ready to move. If you open it first and the funds arrive late, the window may already have closed.

Ask whether the company genuinely has £5,000 it will not need for a month. Money tied up in savings is not available for payroll, VAT, stock or a supplier who wants paying upfront. For many new companies, reaching for the savings reward would mean a director lending money in, which is allowed but should be recorded properly as a director's loan to the company. It is not income and it is not a dividend.

Consider the interest too. Any interest paid on the Instant Saver is taxable company income, and the rate is variable. It may be competitive or it may not; compare it with the cost of leaving funds in a current account, and remember that the reward itself may also need to be accounted for. Ask your accountant how to record it.

Tracking progress and what to do if a reward does not arrive

Keep your own record rather than relying on memory. A short note listing the account-opening date, the Instant Saver opening date, your card transactions in the first 30 days and the date your savings balance has been maintained to gives you everything you need if you have to query a missing payment.

Rewards are usually paid after the qualifying period ends and Tide has checked eligibility, so there is a delay between meeting the conditions and seeing the money. Tide's terms set the payout timing. If the date passes and nothing has arrived, contact Tide through the app with your evidence. Screenshots of the qualifying transactions and balance are helpful.

If you are told you were ineligible, ask which condition was not met. Common reasons are being an existing or previous customer, the code not being applied at sign-up, a transaction type not counting, or the savings balance dipping below the threshold. This site is a referral partner and cannot change Tide's decision.

1. 1

   Screenshot the code applied before you submit the formation.

2. 2

   Write down the account-opening date as soon as it is confirmed.

3. 3

   Log each card transaction in the first 30 days with date and amount.

4. 4

   Open the Instant Saver only when the £5,000 is ready, and note that date.

5. 5

   Set a reminder for the end of the one-month holding period.

6. 6

   Check for payment after the date in Tide's terms, then raise it in the app with evidence if needed.

How the reward fits into your company accounts

A cashback reward paid into a company account belongs to the company, not to you personally. It should be recorded in the bookkeeping like any other receipt. How it is treated for tax depends on the nature of the payment and your circumstances, so ask your accountant rather than assuming it is tax free. Do not transfer it to yourself as though it were personal money; doing so without a proper salary or dividend creates a director's loan.

Keep the promotional terms alongside your records. If HMRC or your accountant ever asks what a £75 or £125 credit was, a copy of the terms and the date you qualified answers the question in seconds.

Common questions

Official sources & further reading

This guide draws on the official guidance below. Rules, fees and individual circumstances can change; check the relevant source before acting.

• Tide company formation offer (NEW200)

General UK information, primarily for private companies limited by shares. This is not personalised legal, tax or financial advice. An accountant or solicitor can help apply the rules to your situation.