Premium Bonds’ processing capability has been updated to the next generation, ERNIE 5. ERNIE 5 is driven by quantum technology, which employs light, rather than previous generations, which used thermal noise to generate random numbers. ERNIE can generate enough random numbers for a monthly prize draw in just 12 minutes, which is 42.5 times faster than its thermal predecessor towards the end of its number-generating career.
When do premium bonds get drawn?
Each month’s draw and winning bonds are announced on the first business day of the month. Sometimes, this will be the first day of the month, while other times, due to a weekend or bank holiday, you may have to wait a little longer.
When do premium bonds become available?
If you own a Premium Bond, you’ll want to know when the monthly draw is made public so you can find out if you’ve won as soon as possible.
NS&I used to provide the numbers to media outlets the day before so that we could have them available for you first thing on the morning of the announcement, but now it sends them at different times on the morning of the announcement.
This is why most organizations, including ours, publish the big winners each month a little later than usual.
Most sites will have received the numbers and published them by 11 a.m. at the very latest, if you wanted to make a point to check in at that time (you can find our article here).
Take a look at our handy list of upcoming Premium Bond prize draw dates below to see which day each month you should check in to see if you’ve won in the most recent Premium Bond prize draw.
Will I be contacted if I’ve won?
You can expect a visit from someone from NS&I the day before the first working day of the month if you beat the odds and win one of the two £1 million monthly rewards.
As a result, ensure sure your contact information is up to date. If you’ve recently relocated, this section of the NS&I website can help you change your address.
It’s also worth checking if you have any unclaimed prizes with your name on them if your information has been out of date for a while.
What is the frequency of premium bond draws?
What are Premium Bonds and How Do They Work? NS&I Premium Bonds are a type of savings account that you can deposit money into (and withdraw at any time), with the interest rate determined by a monthly prize draw. You buy £1 bonds, and each one has an equal chance of winning, so the more you buy, the better.
Do old Premium Bonds ever come out on top?
Is it still possible to use my old Premium Bonds? Yes. Your Bonds are still valid and will be included into our monthly prize draws as long as you haven’t cashed them in.
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.
Is buying Premium Bonds in bulk better?
Q I have £27,000 in premium bonds that were issued in blocks of £2,000 and £1,000, and my winnings have been poor (£600 in the last three years).
Could you kindly tell me whether there is any evidence that holding one entire block rather than having them divided up as they are now would be better? I realize that if this is asked, it can be done, but I will forfeit one month of participation in the drawing.
A There are numerous theories. There is no evidence, however, that owning premium bonds in a single block increases your chances of winning. Otherwise, it would have become well known very quickly.
The R in ERNIE denotes a ‘random’ (Electronic Random Number Indicator Equipment) selection of the winning numbers, which has been the case since the inaugural draw in 1997. Each month, ERNIE is designed to select 2.5 million numbers, which are subsequently matched to 1 million eligible bonds (many of the numbers include bonds not yet sold or those which have been cashed in).
Since the introduction of the national lottery, premium bonds have grown in popularity to the point that total holdings are now about £25 billion, making the odds of winning the single £1 million top prize astronomical. The average payout is set at 3.2 percent net, but this covers all of the rewards given out, implying that the government is borrowing money at a low rate.
The fact that the earnings are tax-free on an investment where you can always get your money back is a major selling point. Unlike the lottery, which is a zero-sum game. You could sell your bonds and then buy them back to cover consecutive numbers. However, as you point out, this will cost you a month in the draw and will not increase your chances of winning. Don’t get too down on yourself. It appears that investors frequently receive nothing or very little for long periods of time before experiencing a run of excellent fortune.
Is it possible to cash in Premium Bonds at the post office?
After July, savers will no longer be able to purchase premium bonds in Post Office offices, according to National Savings & Investments.
Since 1956, the bonds have been sold over the counter, allowing savers to deposit money in a government-backed account in exchange for a chance to win up to £1 million every month rather than receiving interest.
The present contract with the Post Office, however, will not be renewed when it expires on July 31, 2015, due to shifting consumer demand and cost-cutting efforts, according to NS&I.
After that date, bonds can only be purchased directly from the government’s savings provider, via its website, phone, or mail, or by a regular standing order.
One out of every five premium bond sales takes place in a Post Office branch. Over the counter transactions accounted for 750,000 in 2014-15, while direct transactions accounted for 3.2 million. In the same time period, £3.9 billion in bonds were sold in post offices, accounting for a third of all sales by value.
Customers who have recently purchased premium bonds from a post office would be written to and notified of the cessation of over-the-counter sales, according to NS&I’s chief executive, Jane Platt.
She stated, ” “As our partnership with the Post Office comes to an end on July 31st, I’d want to express my gratitude for their support and service to our customers over the years, and I wish them continued success.
“The majority of our clients already purchase premium bonds through direct channels, so NS&I’s move to 100 percent direct sales is a natural next step. Given that these clients already manage and repay their premium bonds directly with us, it should be simple and natural for them.”
Customers have been unable to cash in bonds or make administrative adjustments at the post office since 2013, and have had to deal directly with NS&I for everything but the initial purchase, since 2013.
Despite revisions to premium bonds that cut the smallest reward paid out in half to £25, the savings lottery has remained popular with investors, with over 20 million individuals owning them. The maximum amount that can be stored in bonds has just been increased by £10,000 to £50,000 per person.
The conclusion of the NS&I contract, according to the National Federation of Subpostmasters, demonstrated the Post Office’s issues and the necessity to modernize.
It stated in a statement: “This is very upsetting news, especially for our elderly and more vulnerable clients who rely on subpostmasters for face-to-face assistance with these types of transactions.
“It’s a shame for Post Offices as well, but it’s not surprising. NS&I has made their position clear in recent years, and it is consistent with the government’s larger reluctance to support the Post Office in delivering front-line public services.”
How long do Premium Bonds go unclaimed?
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.
Premium Bonds allow you to win multiple prizes per month.
Is it possible to win many prizes with premium bonds? Yes, but each £1 bond has only one opportunity to win a prize each month.
Overview
Premium Bonds allow you to invest anywhere between £100 and £40,000. Each month, a draw is held, with Premium Bond holders winning roughly £100 million. A £1 million jackpot is the highest prize.
You are not required to report it on your tax return. Premium Bonds can be purchased by anybody over the age of 16, and you can also purchase them on behalf of your kid or grandchild.
How to use this service
To apply, download the PDF application form from the National Savings and Investment website and mail it back to them.
The following link will lead you to a page with an application form and links to more information about how the bonds work. A copy of Adobe Reader is required to access the form.