Did you know you can earn rewards just for paying your rent?
If you’re a renter, your rent is probably one of the biggest payments that leaves your bank account every month.
You pay it whether you feel like it or not. So when I came across a way to earn rewards from paying rent, I thought it was worth sharing.
It’s called Ribbon Rewards, and it turns your rent payments into points that you can redeem for vouchers and rewards.
Even better, you don’t need your landlord to sign up.
Here’s exactly how it works and how much you could potentially earn.
Can you really get paid to pay rent in the UK?
Yes! Although it’s more accurate to think of it as earning rewards on your rent, rather than receiving cash directly into your bank account.
Ribbon Rewards is a free UK rewards programme for renters. You pay your rent through a dedicated Ribbon account and earn points based on the amount of rent you pay.
Those points can then be exchanged for vouchers and rewards from participating brands.
At the standard rate, you earn 1 point for every £1 of rent paid, and 100 points are worth £1 in vouchers.
So if your rent is £1,200 a month, that’s:
- £1,200 rent paid
- 1,200 points earned
- £12 in rewards
- £144 potentially earned over a year
And you’re earning those rewards from a payment you were already going to make.
What is Ribbon Rewards?
You create a Ribbon account and receive a dedicated bank account in your name. You transfer your rent into that account, and Ribbon sends the rent on to your landlord or letting agent.
Your landlord doesn’t need to join Ribbon.
According to Ribbon, the service is free to use, with no credit check required and no landlord sign-up needed.
The basic idea is incredibly simple:
You pay your rent → your landlord gets paid → you earn points.
How does Ribbon Rewards work?
The process is fairly straightforward.
1. Sign up for Ribbon
You create an account with Ribbon and provide the information needed to set everything up.
If you sign up using my referal link you’ll also get up to £40 in bonuses.
Ribbon says signing up takes around two minutes and doesn’t involve a credit check.
2. Get your dedicated rent account
Ribbon provides a dedicated bank account in your name.
This is the account you use to make your rent payment.
3. Transfer your rent
You transfer your usual rent amount into your Ribbon account.
Ribbon then forwards the payment to your landlord or letting agent on your rent date.
Your landlord receives the payment from your named account, so they don’t need to change the way they receive your rent.
4. Earn points
Once your rent payment goes through, your points are credited.
For a standard property, Ribbon currently offers 1 point per £1 of rent.
There is also a higher rate of 3 points per £1 for eligible partner properties.
5. Redeem your rewards
You can then exchange your points for vouchers from participating brands.
Ribbon currently lists brands including Amazon, Deliveroo, Nike, Nando’s, Asda, Sainsbury’s, M&S, Ryanair, Eurostar and others. The catalogue can change as new partners are added.
How much can you earn from paying rent?
This is where it gets interesting.
At the standard rate of 1 point per £1, your potential rewards look like this:
| Monthly rent | Rewards per month | Potential rewards per year |
|---|---|---|
| £500 | £5 | £60 |
| £800 | £8 | £96 |
| £1,000 | £10 | £120 |
| £1,200 | £12 | £144 |
| £1,500 | £15 | £180 |
| £2,000 | £20 | £240 |
These figures assume the standard 1 point per £1 rate and that you pay the same rent throughout the year.
For example, someone paying £1,200 a month could earn 14,400 points over a year, equivalent to £144 in vouchers at the current 100 points = £1 redemption rate.
That’s not going to pay your rent for you — but £144 is still £144 you wouldn’t have had otherwise.
And importantly, you’re not having to spend extra money to earn it.
What if you live in a Ribbon partner property?
There is currently a higher rewards rate for eligible Ribbon partner properties.
Ribbon says tenants in partner properties can earn 3 points per £1 of rent rather than the standard 1 point.
For example, on £1,500 monthly rent:
£1,500 × 3 points = 4,500 points per month
That’s potentially:
54,000 points = £540 in rewards over a year.
The higher rate only applies where you’re eligible for the partner-property offer, so don’t assume you’ll receive 3x points on a normal rental property.
Do you need your landlord’s permission?
This is one of the things I think makes Ribbon particularly interesting.
No, your landlord doesn’t need to sign up.
Ribbon says it works with rental properties across the UK and that the landlord or letting agent simply receives the rent from your named account.
That means you’re not asking your landlord to change their payment system or create a Ribbon account.
Obviously, you should still make sure you follow the payment instructions in your tenancy agreement and that your rent reaches your landlord on time.
What can you spend Ribbon Rewards points on?
The rewards catalogue includes a range of shopping, food, travel and entertainment brands.
At the time of writing, Ribbon lists options including:
- Amazon
- Asda
- Sainsbury’s
- M&S
- Deliveroo
- Nike
- Nando’s
- Ryanair
- Eurostar
- Hotels.com
- Avios
- Apple
- ASOS
- Boots
- Vue
- Odeon
The available brands and voucher options can change, so it’s worth checking the current catalogue before signing up if there’s a particular reward you’re interested in.
Is Ribbon Rewards actually free?
Yes.
Ribbon currently says its standard Rewards programme is free to use.
The company says it earns money through partnerships with brands when users redeem their rewards, rather than charging renters a fee for the rewards programme.
There is also an optional Credit Builder product on the platform, which is separate from the free Ribbon Rewards programme and has its own pricing. You don’t need this optional service to earn the standard rent rewards.
Is my rent money safe?
This is obviously one of the first things I’d want to know before routing my rent through any new service.
According to Ribbon, its accounts are provided by Griffin Bank, with eligible deposits protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) up to £120,000.
Ribbon also says the accounts are held at a fully authorised UK bank regulated by the relevant UK financial authorities.
That said, you’re dealing with your rent here, so I’d always recommend reading the current terms and information provided by Ribbon yourself before signing up.
Is Ribbon Rewards worth it?
For me, this is where the idea becomes interesting.
I’m always looking for ways to make money or save money without creating another job for myself.
And paying rent is something you’re already doing.
If you’re already paying £800, £1,000, £1,200 or more every month, earning some rewards from that payment is a much more appealing proposition than spending hours completing tasks to earn a few pounds.
The amount isn’t life-changing.
But that’s not really the point.
If you could earn £100–£200+ a year in rewards from a payment you’re already making anyway, I’d rather have the rewards than nothing.
And over several years, it can add up.
For example, at £1,200 rent per month, the standard rate would work out at £144 a year.
Over five years, that’s potentially £720 in rewards.
What I like about Ribbon Rewards
There are a few things that particularly stand out to me:
You’re rewarding an expense you already have
Not buying something you don’t need just to trigger cashback.
You’re paying rent that you were already going to pay.
Your landlord doesn’t have to join
This removes a pretty big barrier that could otherwise make a rent rewards programme difficult to use.
The rewards can be useful
Getting a random voucher you don’t want isn’t particularly exciting.
But being able to choose from things like groceries, Amazon, food delivery, travel and other everyday brands makes the rewards much more practical.
The potential rewards increase with your rent
Obviously, nobody wants their rent to increase!
But because the points are linked to the amount of rent you pay, people with higher rents can potentially earn more rewards.
Things to consider before using Ribbon Rewards
I wouldn’t recommend signing up to any financial service without understanding how it works first.
A few things I’d consider:
Make sure your rent is paid on time.
Your rent is an important monthly commitment. Don’t let chasing rewards interfere with making your normal rent payment on time.
Check the current terms.
Rewards programmes can change, including their reward catalogues and terms.
Understand the difference between Rewards and optional extras.
The basic Ribbon Rewards programme is free, but optional products such as Credit Builder are separate.
Check that it works for your circumstances.
If your rent is paid in an unusual way, you should check Ribbon’s current requirements before signing up.
Don’t spend more just to earn rewards.
The whole point is that you’re earning something from an expense you already have.
How to sign up for Ribbon Rewards
If you’re interested in trying it, you can sign up through Ribbon and set up your account.
SIGN UP TO RIBBON REWARDS – ADD YOUR REFERRAL LINK
If you use my referral link, there may be a referral reward available for both of us depending on Ribbon’s current offer and eligibility requirements, so check the terms shown when you sign up.
Want more ways to make money from things you’re already doing?
Ribbon Rewards is exactly the kind of money-saving or money-making opportunity I like to find.
Because honestly, I’m not interested in spending hours making 50p here and £1 there if there’s an easier way.
I’d much rather look at the things I’m already doing and see whether I can make them work harder.
I’ve put together a private Money List containing money-making, cashback, rewards and other platforms I’ve personally tried, use or recommend.
It’s completely free to join my email list, and the full Money List is available to subscribers.
More ways to make money from home
If you’re looking for more realistic ways to make extra money in the UK, I’ve put together a full guide covering everything from surveys and cashback to selling, social media, UGC, blogging and affiliate marketing.
How to Make Money From Home in the UK: 25+ Realistic Ways
You might also want to read:
- [How to Get Paid to Shop with Brand Allies – ADD LINK]
- [How to Get Paid for Your Social Media Content with Social Tip – ADD LINK]
- Best Paid Survey Sites UK
- [How to Make Money Selling on Vinted UK – ADD LINK]
Frequently asked questions
Can you really get paid to pay rent?
You don’t receive your rent back as cash. Ribbon Rewards currently lets eligible UK renters earn points on rent payments, which can then be exchanged for vouchers and rewards.
How much can you earn with Ribbon Rewards?
At the standard rate, Ribbon currently awards 1 point per £1 of rent, with 100 points equal to £1 in vouchers. Partner properties can be eligible for 3 points per £1.
Does my landlord need to use Ribbon?
No. Ribbon says landlords and letting agents don’t need to sign up. Your rent is sent to them from your named Ribbon account.
Is Ribbon Rewards free?
The standard Ribbon Rewards programme is currently free. Optional products, such as Credit Builder, are separate.
What can you get with Ribbon Rewards?
Points can currently be redeemed for vouchers and rewards from brands including Amazon, Deliveroo, Nike, Nando’s, supermarkets, travel providers and entertainment brands. The available catalogue can change.
Is Ribbon Rewards available across the UK?
Ribbon says its standard rewards programme works with rental properties across the UK.
Final thoughts
I think Ribbon Rewards is one of those ideas that makes you wonder why we weren’t already doing something like this.
Rent is a huge expense.
You’re going to pay it whether you get anything back or not.
So if you can route that payment through a free rewards programme and earn points that can eventually be turned into vouchers, it’s certainly worth knowing about.
It’s not going to make you rich.
But £100, £150, £200 or more in rewards is still money you can use elsewhere in your budget — and you earned it from paying a bill you already had.
And that’s exactly the sort of money-saving opportunity I want to find more of.