The two-part eligibility test
Both conditions matter. A card payment can settle successfully and still earn no points because its merchant category is excluded. The app's classification and current UK rules decide the outcome.
Common qualifying shape
- A purchase of goods or services
- Paid with the eligible Revolut debit card
- RevPoints already activated
- No return, cancellation or reversal
- Any separate offer instructions followed
Common reasons it fails
- Cash-like or financial activity
- Government, utility or institutional payment
- Excluded merchant category code
- Revolut Pro transaction
- Purchase later returned or cancelled
Official excluded categories
| Group | Examples in current UK help | Practical answer |
|---|---|---|
| Financial and cash-like | Financial, payment and insurance services; money transfers; wallet top-ups; crypto; brokerage; other liquid or cash-like transactions | Do not expect RevPoints. |
| Government and judicial | Tax, fines, penalties, support or other required payments | Excluded even when paid by card. |
| Regulated or excluded retail | Cigars, tobacco and similar merchant categories | Merchant classification controls. |
| Gambling and institutions | Lotteries, gambling, betting, utilities, charities, political or religious organisations, educational institutions | Excluded in the public UK list. |
| Property and niche services | Real estate, rent, housing, postal, parking, garages, cleaning, maintenance, advertising, marketing, education and unclassified B2B services | Excluded even if it feels like ordinary spend. |
| Account or transaction state | Revolut Pro; returned, cancelled or reversed purchases | No points, or awarded points can be reversed. |
Merchant category matters: the name on a card statement does not always tell you how the payment was classified. Revolut's account record is the evidence to use when asking Support to review it.
If expected points are missing
- Confirm RevPoints was active before the purchase.
- Open the card transaction and check that it is complete rather than pending, reversed or refunded.
- Compare the transaction with the current excluded-category list.
- For Shops, confirm the offer was activated and the online or in-store instructions were followed within the stated window.
- If it still appears eligible, contact Revolut through in-app Support with the transaction details.
Eligible-transaction questions
What is the basic test for an eligible RevPoints purchase?
It must be a genuine purchase of goods or services made with the eligible Revolut card, and it must not fall into an excluded transaction or merchant category.
Do bank transfers or wallet top-ups earn RevPoints?
No. Money transfers, wallet top-ups and other liquid or cash-like transactions are in the official excluded list.
Do tax, fines or other government payments earn RevPoints?
No. Tax, fines, penalties and other payments required by government or judicial bodies are excluded.
Do utility payments earn RevPoints?
No. Utility providers are one of the merchant categories listed as ineligible in Revolut's current UK earning help.
Do rent, housing or parking payments earn RevPoints?
No. Rental, housing, parking lots and garages are included among the excluded property and niche-service categories.
Do gambling, charity or education payments earn RevPoints?
No. Lotteries, gambling, betting, charities, political or religious organisations and educational institutions are excluded.
Do Revolut Pro card transactions earn personal RevPoints?
No. Transactions made using a Revolut Pro account are excluded from the personal RevPoints earning list.
What happens to RevPoints after a refund or cancellation?
The purchase is no longer a genuine qualifying purchase, so Revolut can reverse the points previously awarded for it.
Can a refund leave my RevPoints balance negative?
Yes. If the points were already spent before the earning activity was reversed, the reversal can leave a negative balance governed by the current UK recovery terms.
What should I do if an apparently eligible purchase earned no points?
Check activation, payment status, merchant category and any offer instructions first. If it still appears eligible, contact in-app Support with the transaction details.
For offer-specific rules, use the Shops eligibility checklist. For diagnosis, follow RevPoints not showing.