A tracing form can be downloaded from the NS&I website. It will ask for your name and address, as well as any other names or addresses you have previously used. You’ll also need to give an estimate of when the bonds were issued and how much they were worth at the time.
How far back can Premium Bonds be checked?
Claims have no time limit, so you can go back as far as you like. Here’s how to get your hands on any prizes that haven’t been claimed yet: To begin your claim, call 08085 007 007 if you are a registered user of NS&I’s online and phone services.
What is the number for premium bond holders?
Your holder’s number can be found on your Bond record or by logging onto your account. Your holder’s number is made up of 10 or 9 digits, or 8 digits and a letter. When utilizing our Premium Bonds prize checker app, you can only use your NS&I number to see if you’ve won a prize.
How can I see if my old Premium Bonds have been successful?
While many NS&I Premium Bond holders check every month to see if they’ve won, others take a more carefree approach to bond ownership.
As a result, there are over 2.1 million Premium Bond rewards worth around £75 million that are just waiting to be collected.
So, if you haven’t done so already, double-check your numbers to see whether you’ve already won.
Prizes for NS&I Premium Bonds are frequently unclaimed due to a misunderstanding. It’s usually because:
In 2020, NS&I reported that 180,000 cheques totaling over £8 million were returned to them, the majority of which were due to winners moving and forgetting to update their information.
So, first and foremost, double-check that NS&I has your current address or change your account so that any prize money is transferred directly into your bank account.
Remember that there is no time limit for collecting your prizes, so no matter how much time has passed, you can still claim them.
The rest of this article will walk you through the procedure, but before we get started, it’s worth noting that the large prize-winning numbers can be found in our Premium Bond winners article, which is published at the beginning of each month.
Viewing your prize history
Your NS&I number was supplied to you when you signed up for the online or phone service, and it can be found on any letter you’ve received since then.
It’s exactly what it sounds like an app that tells you if you’ve won anything. It will display the total value of your rewards as well as the bond numbers that correspond to them.
Your holder’s number, which is used to group all of your Premium Bonds together, is required by the app.
If you’re not sure what your phone number is, it’s either 10 or 9 digits long, or eight digits long followed by a letter.
If that fails, you can contact NS&I for a new bond record by calling 08085 007 007 (UK) or +44 1772 329880 (outside the UK).
The most convenient way to do so is to go online. You can look at the most recent results, unclaimed prize bond numbers from the previous six months, and any earlier awards you haven’t claimed yet (if you won anything).
You may use your Amazon Alexa to look for unclaimed rewards if you have one.
You can also write to NS&I and request your prize history, remembering to include your name, address, date of birth, and NS&I or Premium Bonds holder number. In exchange, you will receive a list of the rewards you have won.
How to claim Premium Bond prizes
You can call NS&I if you discover out you’ve won a reward but haven’t received it, and you’re registered for their online and phone services.
If you aren’t registered and don’t want to be, you must write to NS&I and state that you have won a reward but have yet to receive it.
If your contact information has changed after you won the prize, you must also state your old and new contact information before signing the letter.
Updating your details with NS&I
If you registered online or by phone, you can update your information by logging onto your account or calling.
Callers in the United Kingdom should dial 08085 007 007, while those outside the United Kingdom should dial +44 1772 329880. Make sure you have your NS&I number and password with you at all times.
Those who aren’t enrolled, however, should contact NS&I to inform them of any changes.
What is the location of my NS&I number?
How to find your NS&I number Your NS&I number can be found on any letter you’ve received from us since you registered. It will have 11 digits and will begin with 11, 21, 31, or 41. Using your name, date of birth, and postcode, you may instantly acquire a reminder of your NS&I number online.
How do you track down misplaced investments?
Each year, Uncle Sam receives 25,000 interest and principal payments on Treasury securities as undeliverable. Despite the fact that aged savings bonds no longer earn interest, billions of dollars are not cashed. To find matured savings bonds or missing payments from securities, utilize the Treasury Hunt search engine at www.treasurydirect.gov/indiv/indiv.htm. Select “Search for Your Securities in Treasury Hunt” from the drop-down menu. To begin, simply key in your Social Security number.
Only since the mid-1970s has it been customary to include Social Security numbers on savings bonds. As a result, the Treasury Hunt search engine can only find bonds issued after 1974. Go to treasurydirect.gov if you’re looking for older bonds or ones that are still paying interest. Download 1048, which is used for lost, stolen, or destroyed savings bonds, from the “Forms” tab. Fill in as much information as you can, including the missing bonds’ issue date (or a range of dates), their face amount and serial numbers, and the owners’ names, residences, and Social Security numbers. If you’re looking for someone else’s bonds as the executor of an estate, you’ll need to show proof of your legal power.
Is it possible to lose money on Premium Bonds?
No, because NS&I is a Treasury-approved and regulated company rather than a bank, your money is completely safe.
Even if you’re a bad luck client who never wins, the money you invest in Premium Bonds is protected. Although not always in terms of money’s true value.
Your money is dwindling in terms of what it can buy unless you win enough to stay up with the rate of inflation, which is currently 0.9 percent.
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.
Are there any disadvantages to Premium Bonds?
Since 1957, National Savings and Investments (NS&I) has marketed Premium Bonds. They are a risk-free option to save because NS&I is supported by HM Treasury and is part of the government.
Premium Bonds do not pay interest, but they do have a monthly prize draw with prizes ranging from £25 to £1 million.
Each bond costs £1 and includes a unique reference number that is used to enter the draw. That implies that for every pound you invest, you may be eligible to win a prize once a month (though it is highly unlikely).
Limitations
Premium Bonds are only available to those who are 16 years old or older. They can, however, be purchased on behalf of children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren and kept by an adult until the child reaches the age of sixteen.
Popularity
In 2008, premium bonds were a big issue. People were looking for a safer way to save during the financial crunch, and Premium Bonds, which are backed by the government, cannot lose their value. People were also drawn to the product because of the increased chance of winning more money.
There are presently 74 billion Premium Bonds in circulation, with approximately three million winning a prize each month.
Potential returns
Prizes range from £25 to £1 million, with lower-value awards being granted more frequently than higher-value prizes.
It’s vital to keep in mind that there’s no assurance that you’ll win anything. The monthly prize pool determines the “average rate of return,” which is now 1.4 percent.
It’s not as simple as assuming that if you buy Premium Bonds, you’ll get a 1.4 percent return. There are several factors that go into determining your exact chances of receiving prize money in that amount, but we estimate that you’ll need to invest roughly £20,000 in bonds to get close to the average return.
This calculator can be used to determine your chances of winning and potential profits.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Is it worthwhile to invest in Premium Bonds? It is entirely up to you to make that decision. Before making any decisions, it’s a good idea to consider all of the possibilities:
You will not see any rewards on your investments if your Bonds are not picked in the monthly prize draw.
Everyone enjoys the prospect of winning a large sum of money! The thrill of the prospect of winning £25 to £1 million for each Bond held is enough to entice some investors.
While the mathematics required to determine your chances of winning are complex, it is currently believed that the possibility of winning any prize is 1 in 24,500 for each individual Bond held.
Premium Bonds are backed by the government, hence there are no risks involved. In the worst-case situation, the bonds purchased are never selected as a reward, and the account balance remains unchanged.
Though the numerical value of your savings cannot be reduced unless you remove money, the real-term value can. Because the cost of living is rising, a stable investment value that does not rise will lose purchasing power over time.
Savings are always tax-free, which is one of the key benefits of bonds: higher-rate and even basic-rate taxpayers can invest substantial sums with no tax consequences.
Since the Personal Savings Allowance was introduced in 2016, most savers have seen no tax liability on their returns. That means savers can invest in vehicles that provide higher returns, and the lack of tax is no longer a distinguishing or compelling feature.
Premium Bonds are backed by the government’s promise to buy them back at the same price you paid for them. That means you can take your money out whenever you want and not worry about being penalized.
After the bonds have been held for a full prize cycle, they are entered into their first reward draw. This implies that Bonds purchased in March will be retained until the prize draw in May. Borrowing from your Premium Bonds could result in you missing out on a successful month.