When a Premium Bond holder passes away, the estate executor has the option of cashing the investment or keeping it in place.
If the Premium Bonds are not cashed within the first 12 months, they are entered into the prize draw as usual. A nominated individual or the executor of the estate can claim any awards received. Because the bonds are not transferable, they will remain in the name of the deceased.
The bondholder’s death should be reported to National Savings & Investments as soon as feasible.
If the bonds are chosen off the ballot, the appropriate person will be notified.
What happens to Premium Bonds when the owner dies?
Premium Bonds cannot be inherited or transferred to another person’s name in the same way as funds from bank accounts and savings accounts can.
Instead, if you’re administering someone’s estate and need to deal with their Premium Bonds, you have two options. The first option is to sell them while they are still in the probate procedure. If you do this, the proceeds from the sale will become part of the estate and will be passed down to the beneficiaries after the estate administration is finished. This is the quickest way for Premium Bond beneficiaries to inherit money.
The alternative is to leave them alone for the time being. NS&I can keep Premium Bonds for up to 12 months following a person’s death. They are still eligible for monetary rewards throughout this time. The executor of the estate or a specified beneficiary can contact NS&I after 12 months to claim the rewards and cash out the Bonds. This will postpone the inheritance of wealth, but it may result in greater money in the end. As the executor, you should consult with the beneficiaries who will receive the estate’s funds to determine which option is best for their individual circumstances.
How do I transfer Premium Bond ownership?
- Fill out the form, specifying the amount you’d like to switch and the fixed-term investment from which you’d like to switch. Make a note on the form that you want the transition to be deferred until the maturity date. If the investment is within 30 days of maturity, you can do so.
- Then send us the completed form. We’ll require it no later than two working days before the end of your fixed-term investment.
What happens to a person’s Premium Bonds after they die?
They can, however, stay in the monthly Premium Bonds draws for up to a year after the client has passed away.
After the 12-month term has passed, the face value of the Premium Bonds, as well as any prizes won during that time, will be reimbursed to the dead customer’s estate.
To retain the Bonds in the draw, the person in charge of the deceased customer’s money should indicate this on the death claims form.
Any Premium Bonds awards won will be paid via prize cheque to the person entitled to the money – the estate’s executor – after the prize draw.
Any unclaimed awards will be held until the death claim is processed, after which they will be distributed.
Following the completion of the death claim, we will send any future prizes earned by check to the individual who is entitled to the money.
We are unable to award these prizes online or to consolidate and pay them at the end of the year.
How long can Premium Bonds be kept after death?
Bonds from Premium Bonds will be kept in each prize draw for up to 12 months after the customer’s death. You must send the Bonds to us, along with the completed claim form, to keep the Bonds invested.
Is it possible for me to give my Premium Bonds to my son?
Premium Bonds for children under the age of 16 can be purchased by anyone. It’s acceptable if the youngster already has some Premium Bonds; they can hold up to £50,000 worth.
If you are not the child’s parent or guardian, you must notify them before purchasing Premium Bonds, since we will contact them directly for things like giving proof of identity and address.
- Please double-check that the parent/guardian is willing to take after the child’s investment and that you have their permission to give us their information.
- We’ll verify everyone on your application’s identity and address, and we may need to request documentation to prove it.
- Please inform the parent/guardian that we may contact them to request proof of identity documentation.
We’ve put up a quick guide on how to top up a child’s funds, whether you’re a parent, grandparent, or family friend:
Is it possible to cash in my parents’ savings bonds?
If you are now the owner of the savings bonds or if your parent listed you as the survivor beneficiary on the bonds, take them to a bank or other financial institution. In the presence of a bank official, fill out the redemption form on the back of the bonds and sign it. A driver’s license or other form of identification is required. You must also provide proof of death if you are mentioned as a survivor. This is usually done by a verified copy of the death certificate. The bank will redeem the bonds and pay you the proceeds.
How do I contact Nsandi via email?
Our devoted team will work hard to fix your issue as quickly as possible. In our booklet, we describe how we handle complaints.
You can also send us an email; please remember to include your postal address so that we can respond.
If we are unable to settle your complaint satisfactorily, you may be entitled to report it to the Financial Ombudsman Service, which is a free and impartial dispute resolution service:
Complaints data
We have a fairness and openness ethos. As a result, and in accordance with other financial services companies, we’ve decided to make our complaints data public on our corporate website.
Is it possible to have two Nsandi accounts?
Anyone over the age of 16 can open an Investment Account, either individually or jointly with another person.
You can have many accounts. Across all of your Investment Accounts, you can save anything from £20 to £1 million per person.
You can also put money into a trust on behalf of another person (the ‘beneficiary’). Trustees must fill out a different application.
A child’s account will be opened and deposited only by a parent, guardian, grandparent, or great-grandparent.
The account is managed by the parent or guardian named on the application until the child turns 16, and we will transmit all correspondence to them.
Is it necessary to probate Premium Bonds?
Some assets (such as a joint bank account) can be owned jointly with another individual, allowing the assets to flow to the survivor owner after the other owner dies. Outside of the estate, other assets can be designated to a beneficiary (such as life insurance). The assets in these cases can be administered without the need for a probate grant.
Premium bonds can’t be held in a joint account with someone else. Furthermore, premium bonds cannot be designated to pass to a beneficiary when the owner passes away. If the entire worth of NS&I items exceeds £5,000, you have no choice but to file for a grant of probate.