Instructions on Verifying Premium Bonds Status
In the United Kingdom, the National Savings and Investment's (NS&I) Premium Bonds remain a popular choice among savers since their inception in 1957. Over the past six decades, more than 749 million prizes worth over £35 billion have been awarded, as revealed by NS&I data from December 2024.
Each month, all Premium Bonds are entered into a draw that awards millions of prizes ranging from £25 to the jackpot of £1 million. NS&I's sophisticated computer, affectionately known as ERNIE, utilizes quantum technology to randomly select the winners in approximately 12 minutes.
The Premium Bonds winners are announced by NS&I on the first working day of the month, and winners can check if they have won a prize the following day. For winners of this month, the results have already been announced. From April 2, winners can check if they have won prizes worth between £25 and £100,000.
However, some may have forgotten about Premium Bonds they own. To locate lost Premium Bonds, visit nsandi.com/forms and complete the 'Form to track down lost savings.' Winners can either complete the form online or download and print a copy to complete by hand and mail to NS&I at Sunderland SR43 2SB. As an alternative, the free service mylostaccount.org.uk from UK Finance and the Building Societies Association can help trace lost accounts and savings, including NS&I products.
If someone else is trying to track down Premium Bonds on behalf of someone else, they must be legally entitled to act in their capacity, such as under a Power of Attorney or as an Executor. NS&I recommends contacting them for advice on tracing someone else's accounts or investments. Premium Bonds can still be owned by people living abroad, making it worthwhile to check for unclaimed prizes even if one has relocated.
When checking for Premium Bond prizes, there are several ways to do so online and by post. Using the NS&I website or app is the easiest method, as it shows the prizes on offer for the current month and any winnings from the previous six draws. Winners will need their Premium Bonds holder number to use the website and their NS&I number or holder number to check via the app.
Alexa-enabled devices can also be used to check if one has won a prize. To set it up, activate the NS&I Premium Bonds prize checker skill on your Alexa app and enter your NS&I number. Alexa will then be able to inform you whether you have won a prize and how much it's worth, as well as details for any upcoming draws.
To claim prizes from years ago, NS&I has no time limit for investors to claim them. In April 2025, NS&I reported that there were still 2,547,426 prizes worth £97,152,875 unclaimed. Beyond using NS&I's website, app or Alexa to check for prizes, one can contact NS&I by phone (freephone 08085 007 007) or write to them. When writing, include the needed details like the Premium Bonds holder number, your current and any previous names, your current and any previous addresses where Bonds may have been registered, and your signature.
Prizes will be paid according to your chosen payment preference. More than nine in ten prizes are paid directly into winners' bank accounts or automatically reinvested into more Premium Bonds. If one hasn't opted for either option, a cheque will be sent to the registered address, so it's worth checking that one's address is updated to ensure prompt receipt of any winnings.
- For those who have invested in Premium Bonds from National Savings and Investment (NS&I), it's essential to keep track of their personal-finance investments, especially if they own bonds that might have been lost.
- Technology has made it easier to check Premium Bond winnings, with the NS&I website, app, and Alexa-enabled devices providing updates on prizes and upcoming draws.
- While technology offers convenient ways to keep track of investments, some may still prefer traditional methods, such as phoning NS&I or writing to them with the necessary details for prize inquiries.
- Social-media platforms might not be the first place one thinks to look for financial updates, butNS&I does use these platforms to announce winners and provide updates on their products, such as the Premium Bonds.
