Premium Bonds holders are being reminded to check their numbers to make sure they aren’t missing out on thousands of pounds in winnings. As of June, more than 2.5 million Premium Bond prizes worth over £103million were still unclaimed, National Savings and Investments (NS&I) reported.
Among the prizes still to be claimed are 11 prizes worth £100,000, 19 prizes worth £50,000, 38 prizes worth £25,000, and 75 prizes of £10,000. Andrew Westhead, retail director at NS&I, said: “These figures are a timely reminder to update your details, talk to your loved ones about your savings and make sure your money stays firmly in your hands, both now and in the future.”
Premium Bonds holders can scoop sums ranging from £25 to £1million each month via randomly generated prize draws. Savers are typically alerted when they secure a prize, but if they relocate or alter their contact information without informing NS&I, winnings can remain uncollected, reports the Express.
Check if you have unclaimed Premium Bonds winnings
Savers can discover if they’ve secured a prize using NS&I’s prize-checking facility. Holders will only require their Premium Bonds holder’s number or NS&I number to view the results. Savers can also obtain the NS&I premium bonds prize checker application, which is accessible through the Apple Store or Google Play, where the identical details will be easily accessible.
The tool won’t just reveal this month’s winnings, but will also highlight any previous unclaimed prizes. Old NS&I bonds, certificates, passbooks, or account paperwork can often be found tucked away in drawers or among old documents.
Customers who stumble upon forgotten savings are urged to utilise NS&I’s tracing service to locate any funds due to them. In the financial year 2024/25, more than £166million was reunited through 52,693 NS&I accounts for holders who had lost touch with their savings and investments using these tools. The figure included over £120million in Premium Bonds savings and unclaimed prizes, £11.4million paid out from old Savings Certificates and £1.3million from old Children’s Bonus Bonds.
Jessica Willock, personal finance expert at Confused.com said: “Premium Bonds are a popular way to save, but it can be easy to forget about them once they’re set up. That’s why it’s not surprising to hear that over £100million in prizes is currently unclaimed. With millions of people holding bonds, there’s a good chance some have money waiting for them and don’t even realise it.”
She added: “If you’ve ever bought Premium Bonds, it’s worth taking a moment to check in on them. If you’re not sure of your details, you can speak to the NS&I, who can help you recover them.”
NS&I suggested that savers should choose to have winnings paid directly into their bank accounts, to avoid missing out. A statement from NS&I reads: “Customers can choose to have their prizes paid directly to their bank account or reinvested into more Premium Bonds. Nine in 10 prizes are already paid this way as it is quicker than waiting for a cheque to then pay in.”
Premium Bonds holders can find out how to change their prize payment preferences here.
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