More than 2.5 million Premium Bonds prizes remain unclaimed, including 11 prizes worth £100,000, as total unclaimed winnings have surpassed £100 million, according to official records from the National Savings and Investments (NS&I) scheme. Savers who hold or once held Premium Bonds are being urged to check for forgotten prizes, especially those with old paper bonds, childhood gifts, out-of-date contact details, or family paperwork that has not been reviewed for years.
Unclaimed Prizes Reach £100 Million
Figures from NS&I show that the oldest unclaimed prize reported was a £25 win from November 1957 in South Yorkshire. By the end of March 2025, 781,576 trace requests had been made, with 465,048 successful. Financial information platform vettory.org reviewed the latest prize checking and tracing guidance after the figures highlighted how old records and missed address updates can leave money sitting untouched.
A spokesperson for vettory.org said: “This is exactly the kind of money check people can do for free before looking at paid support or more expensive financial options. If you find an old Bond record, a childhood savings document or paperwork in a relative’s files, do not assume it is worthless because it is old.”
How to Check for Forgotten Premium Bonds Prizes
The quickest way to check is via the online prize checker, which shows prizes won in the current month, prizes from the previous six draws, and older unclaimed prizes. To use it, holders typically need their holder’s number, which is usually nine or 10 digits, or eight digits followed by a letter. This number can be found on a bond record or by logging into an NS&I account.
People with an NS&I number can use it in the prize checker app. That number is 11 digits long and starts with 11, 21, 31, or 41, according to official guidance. Those who have lost their holder’s number or original paperwork can still try to recover details using the tracing service.
Premium Bonds Prizes Do Not Expire
Premium Bonds prizes do not expire, and old bonds can still be valid if they have not been cashed in. The spokesperson added: “Start with the official prize checker and tracing routes, gather any names, past addresses, dates of birth and paperwork you have, and keep a note of what you have submitted. The important thing is not to pay someone for a search before you have used the free official routes first.”
People who find old bonds can ask for them to be added to their online account. Those who still receive prize cheques can switch to bank payment or reinvestment to reduce the chance of future prizes being missed.
Important for Families and Executors
The tracing service can be used by anyone who thinks they may have Premium Bonds but is not completely sure. This is particularly relevant for adults whose parents or grandparents bought bonds for them as children, or for families sorting through paperwork after a death. A person legally entitled to act for someone else, such as an executor or someone with power of attorney, can also make a tracing request.
There is no expiry deadline for checking, but the sooner people update their details or trace old holdings, the sooner any unclaimed prize money can be identified.
