How can I find lost Premium Bonds?

Premium Bonds are popular, tax-free savings vehicles provided by NS&I, but unlike traditional savings accounts, you don’t actually earn interest on them. Instead, each £1 bond is entered into a monthly draw with the chance of winning thousands of prizes, including the jackpot of £1 million, every month. If you’re lucky enough to win one of those draws, NS&I will contact you to give you the good news. However, if they don't have your current contact details, you may not realise your good luck.

Don't panic if you have not claimed your Premium Bonds

Premium Bonds can easily be forgotten about and ‘lost’. According to NS&I, there are nearly 2.4 million unclaimed prizes, equating to a total of more than £83 million. But if you think that you, or a deceased member of your family, may be the rightful recipients of some of these prizes, there’s no need to panic. NS&I will continue to hold the funds for you until they trace you or you come forward – there is no time limit to collect the winnings.

Use your number

If you can dig out your holder number, finding lost Premium Bonds is very simple. Your holder number (it’ll have either nine or 10 digits, or eight digits and a letter) can be found on your Bond record or your online account. You could also use your NS&I number, which has 11 digits and can be found on most NS&I communications.

Once you’ve found a number, there are a few ways you can check Premium Bonds to see if you’re the recipient of a prize:

• Enter your holder number into NS&I’s online prize checker.
• Download the prize checker app. Here you can use your holder number or your NS&I number.
• Ask Alexa. If you’ve got an Alexa device, you can now check for NS&I Premium Bonds using your voice. Just open the relevant Skill on your Alexa app and follow the steps, using your NS&I number or holder’s number to link it up.
• Log in to your account where you can see your prize history.
• Write to NS&I, including your name, address and holder’s or NS&I number.

If it’s your lucky day and you’re due a win but haven’t received it, you have two options. If you’re registered for NS&I’s online or phone service you can simply call them on 08085 007 007 and they’ll get things started, or you can write to them at NS&I, Sunderland, SR43 2SB to let them know that you have an unclaimed prize.

You’ll need to include as many details as possible, including your name and address (as well as any previous names or addresses the Bonds could have been registered with), your holder’s number and your signature. NS&I will then send your winnings as a warrant (like a cheque) to your home address.

Tracing your bonds

If you have lost your holder number altogether, or you are trying to find the bonds of a deceased relative, you will need to contact NS&I to trace them for you.

You can use NS&I’s Tracing Service by downloading a form and posting it to them. It will ask you to provide your name and address, as well as any names you have previously used and any old addresses. You will also need to provide some idea of when the bonds were issued and how much they may have been worth.

If you are searching for the bonds of a deceased relative, you will need to provide their name and address and let them know if you have any relevant documents (such as a will or a death certificate). Note that you’ll only be able to do this if you’re legally entitled to act on their behalf, such as if you’re an executor or have been granted Power of Attorney.

You’ll need to sign and date the form in the presence of a witness, who will need to do the same. Then send it to Tracing Service, NS&I, Sunderland, SR43 2SB.

Alternatively, if you don’t have a printer you can write to them – making sure to include all relevant information as detailed above – or use the My Lost Account service to apply online.

Once you’ve applied, NS&I will let you know if they need any more information or additional documents. It can take around a month for them to confirm any account details, depending on how busy the service is.

Never miss a prize again

You can avoid the possibility of missing out on future prizes by making sure your details are up to date. Premium Bonds winners are notified directly by NS&I, normally via email or text message, so make sure they have your current contact details.

You can also change how you receive your prizes. The vast majority of prizes are now paid directly to the winner’s bank account or reinvested into more Bonds. This means you’ll need to make sure your bank account details are up to date, and if you currently receive your prizes via cheque, it could be worth switching.

You can easily change your prize options by logging into your NS&I account, filling in an online form, or calling them.