How can I find lost Premium Bonds?

At a glance

• Premium Bonds are savings vehicles offered by the Government-backed brand, National Savings & Investments (NS&I)
• Rather than earning interest, each bond is entered into a monthly prize draw with the chance to win prizes of up to £1 million
• However, bonds can easily be lost – there are more than 2.6 million unclaimed prizes worth a combined total of over £100 million, according to NS&I. Fortunately, you can still claim lost prizes in 2025 – no matter how long has passed.

Premium Bonds are a popular, tax-free savings vehicle offered by NS&I that, instead of paying interest, enter holders into a monthly draw with the chance to win thousands of prizes – including a £1 million jackpot. NS&I usually gets in touch with lucky winners, however, millions of prizes are still waiting to be claimed where holders haven’t updated their contact details.

Fortunately, there are steps you can take to be reunited with your lost winnings:

First of all, don't panic if you have not claimed your Premium Bonds

Premium Bonds can easily be forgotten about and ‘lost’. In fact, more than 2.6 million prizes worth a combined total of over £100 million are yet to be claimed, according to NS&I. But there’s no need to panic if you think that you, or a deceased family member, may be the rightful recipient of some of these prizes; there’s no deadline to collect your winnings and NS&I will hold onto the funds until you come forward or can be traced.

Do you know your holder’s number?

If you know or can find your holder’s number, locating lost Premium Bonds is often straightforward. Your holder number can usually be found on your Bond record or online account (and will have either nine or 10 digits, or eight digits and a letter). Alternatively, you can also use your NS&I number which has 11 digits and is displayed on most communications from NS&I.

Once you have either your Premium Bonds holder’s or NS&I number, there are a few ways to check if you’ve won a prize:

• Enter your holder’s number into NS&I’s online Premium Bonds prize checker
• Log into your online NS&I account and check your prize history
• Download the NS&I prize checker app
• Ask Alexa whether you have won a prize this month (if you have an Alexa-enabled Amazon device)
• Write to NS&I with your name, address and Premium Bonds holder or NS&I number.

If you’re a lucky winner but haven’t received your prize, and are registered for online or phone services, you can contact NS&I on 08085 007 007. If you aren’t registered for these services, you’ll need to write to NS&I at Sunderland, SR43 2SB with as many details as possible (including your name, current and previous addresses, holder’s number and signature). Any prizes will be sent to your home address as a warrant (similar to a cheque).

What happens if I lose my holder's number?

If you don’t know your holder’s number, you’ll need to get in touch with NS&I; its Premium Bonds Tracing Service can help to locate lost bonds and unclaimed prizes. You’ll simply need to complete an online form (or print off a form and return it by post) which asks for your current and any previous names and addresses, an idea of when the bonds were issued and how much they might have been worth.

You can also apply online with My Lost Account to search unclaimed Premium Bonds. In association with UK Finance and the Building Societies Association (BSA), the service helps to find lost accounts (generally untouched for 15 years) held with NS&I, as well as other banks and building societies.

Can I claim Premium Bonds for a deceased relative?

It’s possible for a beneficiary to claim Premium Bonds belonging to a relative who has passed away. An Executor of their will or someone with Power of Attorney can use NS&I’s Tracing Service to find their Premium Bonds or, if they don’t have access to the deceased’s NS&I contact details, they can use the My Lost Account Service to locate the bonds.

The bonds will remain in the draw for 12 months after the date of their death and can continue to win prizes. After being informed of their customer’s passing, NS&I will pay any prizes as a warrant to the beneficiary.

Can I transfer my Premium Bonds to someone else?

Premium Bonds can’t be transferred to or inherited by another person. Instead, the bonds would need to be encashed and reinvested under the new holder’s name.

Never miss a prize again

Avoid missing out on future prizes by making sure your contact details are up to date. Premium Bond winners are notified directly by NS&I (usually either by email or text message), so it’s crucial they have your current details.

You can also change how you’d like to receive any prizes; while some still get their prizes via cheque, the vast majority are now paid directly into winner’s bank account or reinvested into more Bonds. However, it’s crucial to keep your bank details up to date. You can easily change your preferences by logging into your NS&I account, filling in an online form or calling the provider.