NS&I Premium Bonds: UK prize checker as unclaimed prizes top £100m – how to check and withdraw old Bonds cash
Thousands have already been reunited with lost cash 🕵️♂️
- Over £103 million in Premium Bond prizes remain unclaimed across the UK
- 2.5 million prizes, including 11 worth £100,000, are yet to be claimed
- Many miss out after moving house or forgetting old accounts
- There’s no time limit – prizes can be claimed even decades later
- NS&I urges people to check using its app, website, or tracing service
More than £103 million in Premium Bond prizes is currently unclaimed, according to the latest data from NS&I.
With over 2.5 million prizes still waiting to be claimed, thousands of people across the UK could be sitting on a life-changing windfall without realising it.
Among the forgotten prizes are, 11 worth £100,000, 19 worth £50,000, 38 worth £25,000, and 75 worth £10,000. The prize pot contains millions in uncollected cash that could be waiting for you.
“Eleven people in the UK have £100,000 with their name on it, just sitting, collecting dust,” said Sarah Coles, head of personal finance at Hargreaves Lansdown. “It’s worth checking whether you’ve already won big.”
Unclaimed prizes are often the result of people moving house and forgetting to update their contact details. Sometimes, accounts are set up for children or grandchildren and simply forgotten about over time.
Others might not realise they’ve won because they still receive paper notifications or haven’t checked their account in years.
Andrew Westhead, NS&I’s retail director, 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.”
NS&I recently revealed it reunited more than £166 million with customers in 2024-25 through its tracing services – including over £120 million in Premium Bond prizes alone.
How long do Premium Bond winners have to claim their prize?
Unlike National Lottery wins, there’s no time limit on claiming Premium Bond prizes. NS&I considers a prize “unclaimed” after 18 months, but winners can come forward at any time, even decades later.
Since 1957, NS&I has successfully paid out over 99% of all prizes – but the remaining 1% still adds up to a huge chunk of cash.
How to check if you're a winner
Here’s how to check if you’ve got cash waiting for you:
- Use NS&I’s prize checker app or website – You just need your holder number to search.
- Update your contact details – Especially if you’ve moved house.
- Switch to bank transfers – You can opt to have prizes automatically paid into your bank, or reinvested into more bonds. Nine in ten prizes are now paid this way.
- Dig out old paperwork – Forgotten savings can sometimes be found in drawers, old files or among family documents. Use the My Lost Account service to trace anything you find.
With millions left unclaimed – and no expiry date – it’s well worth taking five minutes today to see if you’re richer than you thought.
Are you struggling to make ends meet as costs continue to rise? You can now send your stories to us online via YourWorld at yourworld.net/submit. It's free to use and, once checked, your story will appear on our website and, space allowing, in our newspapers.