Use the official NS&I checker to see recent wins with your holder’s number. Your NS&I number can help you access NS&I online services, but lost holdings, older unpaid prizes and estate claims should be dealt with directly through NS&I. NS&I never charges to check or claim prizes.
Premium bonds prize checker: check recent wins
The official NS&I checker is for recent draw results, while a tracing request is the right route for older unpaid prizes.
The checker is mainly for current holdings and recent draw results, commonly covering up to the latest six monthly draws. A holder’s number identifies the holding and normally appears on bond records, prize notices or old correspondence.
An NS&I number identifies you as an NS&I customer for online services and may help when you log in, update details or manage Prize options. Do not share either number through unsolicited calls, texts or emails: NS&I does not ask for payment to release a prize.
| Method | Usually needed | What it can show | Main limit |
|---|
| NS&I website | Holder’s number or login | Recent prize results | Not a full historic trace |
| NS&I checker app | Saved holder’s number | Recent results on a phone | Needs the correct reference |
| Alexa | Linked holder’s number | Recent winning status | Not suitable for lost holdings |
| Phone or letter to NS&I | Identity and known history | Tracing and claim support | Checks may need documents |
A holder’s number is the reference used to identify a particular holding, and it is the number normally used in the NS&I checker and the checker app. It may appear on a prize notice, bond certificate, investment record or previous NS&I correspondence. An NS&I number is a customer reference for accessing NS&I online services and may be shown in account communications or after signing in. If you can access your online account, it can help you manage the holding and review Prize options, but it does not replace the holder’s number in every prize-checking channel.
If neither reference is available, use an official tracing request rather than entering personal details on an unofficial website.
Unclaimed prizes need an NS&I tracing request
You cannot check Premium Bonds publicly by name alone, because NS&I must protect the owner’s personal and financial details. If your number is lost, ask NS&I to trace the holding and provide enough information for it to verify identity and ownership.
Details that make tracing easier
Give NS&I your current name, previous names, date of birth, current and earlier addresses, plus the approximate purchase year. Keep copies of certificates and old paperwork, as even partial details can help match historic records.
A recent result check shows whether an entered holding won in the recent draw period. A tracing request can locate a lost holding, update owner details and identify unpaid prizes linked to it.
For lost certificates, old paper bonds and holdings bought many years ago, do not assume that the age of the paperwork makes the investment invalid. Premium Bonds have existed since 1956, so a certificate from around 50 years ago can still lead NS&I to a live or historic record if it can match the owner and holding.
Include every detail you can find in a tracing request: the name used when the bonds were bought, any former address, approximate purchase date and value, certificate or bond numbers, and copies of old letters. Historic records may need manual checking, so a recent prize results search alone cannot confirm whether all older prizes have been paid.
Old bonds and estates need proof before a claim
Old paper bonds can still be valid, but NS&I must establish who owns them before releasing money or updating records.
Documents for an inherited holding
Prepare the death certificate, identification and documents proving authority to deal with the estate. NS&I may require probate or letters of administration before it releases money or changes ownership records.
A safe order for making a claim
- Collect certificates, holder’s numbers, old letters and previous addresses.
- Check recent results through an official NS&I route if you have a valid reference.
- Contact NS&I directly if details are missing, the bond is old, or a prize may be unclaimed.
- Send identity, name-change or estate documents only through the method NS&I confirms.
- Update bank details and Prize options after NS&I confirms the holding.
Choose the route that matches your situation
Have a number
Use the official checker for recent wins.
Lost details
Ask NS&I to trace the holding after identity checks.
Estate or old paper bond
Contact NS&I with estate or ownership evidence.
For NS&I estate claims, prepare documents according to the reason the record needs updating. A person who has changed name should provide the relevant legal evidence, such as a marriage certificate, civil partnership certificate, decree absolute or deed poll, alongside identification. Where the owner has moved, give both the current address and every previous address that may appear on the record. For Premium Bonds inheritance, retain the death certificate and evidence that you are authorised to administer the estate; NS&I may ask for a grant of probate or letters of administration, depending on the estate and the value involved.
Sending clear copies through the official route can help NS&I link an unpaid holding and any unclaimed Premium Bonds prizes to the right claim.
Premium bonds versus a cash ISA after claiming
Premium Bonds offer random tax-free prizes, while a Cash ISA pays stated interest, so the best choice depends on whether you value certainty or variable outcomes.
Premium Bonds may fit emergency savings if access matters and you accept that you may receive no prize. Compare the likely return with a Cash ISA rate rather than relying only on the headline prize fund rate.
A practical choice after a trace
Keep Premium Bonds if you accept variable outcomes and your details are up to date. Consider a Cash ISA if you need known interest; a Stocks and Shares ISA may suit longer-term investing only if you accept that its value can fall.
This guidance does not replace NS&I’s process for investments that are not Premium Bonds. It also does not let a family member claim prizes from a deceased person without the required legal authority and estate documents. It is not a recommendation on where to invest new money, because expected return, access to cash and tax treatment differ between Premium Bonds and an ISA.
Questions & answers
Can I check Premium Bonds by name?
No, there is no public Premium Bonds checker by name. If you have lost the holder’s number, contact NS&I with identity details, former names and past addresses so it can trace the holding securely.
How do I claim an unclaimed NS&I prize?
Contact NS&I through its official website, phone details or postal route and ask it to trace unpaid prizes. NS&I will explain which proof it needs and does not charge a fee to release a genuine prize.
Can I check old Premium Bond numbers online?
You can use a valid holder’s number free of charge to check recent results through official NS&I services. However, an old certificate or historic bond reference cannot be fully verified through the recent-results checker alone; ask NS&I to trace the holding if the bonds are old, the holder’s number is missing or the owner’s details have changed.
Are Premium Bonds from 1959 still valid?
They may still be valid if NS&I can confirm the holding and owner. Keep the certificate, old addresses and purchase details, then contact NS&I rather than assuming its age has ended its value.
Check first, then ask NS&I to trace
Use the official checker for recent results when you have a holder’s number. Ask NS&I to trace the holding if paperwork is missing, certificates are old, details have changed or you are managing an estate.
Related sources
These articles can help you explore the topic in more depth:
