You found an old NS&I letter or remember buying Premium Bonds, but your details no longer work. First, establish whether the investment is missing or whether you have simply forgotten how to access it. You may instead need to trace old Bonds, prizes, or another person's investment.
Choose the right NS&I route first
Decide whether you need access recovery or a tracing request. Recover online access if you know the account exists. This route suits a lost password, customer number, or email login. Use tracing when you cannot identify the holding.
Use this decision tree
Match your situation to the right route below.
Which NS&I route should you use?
You know the account exists
Forgotten login or customer number
Recover online access
You cannot identify the holding
Old product, unknown number
Use NS&I tracing
You found old Bonds
Certificate or purchase clue
Find holder’s number, then check prizes
The holder is another person
Death or legal authority involved
Use estate or attorney route
| What you have | First action | Typical preparation time |
|---|
| Active account, lost sign-in details | Recover online access | 5 to 10 minutes |
| Unknown NS&I product or account number | Submit a tracing request | 15 to 30 minutes |
| Old Premium Bonds certificate | Trace holding and recover holder’s number | 20 to 40 minutes |
| Investment held by someone else | Estate or Power of Attorney claim | 30 to 60 minutes |
Rule out a bank account
Check that the paperwork names National Savings and Investments, usually NS&I. Banks, building societies, investment platforms, and pensions cannot be searched through NS&I. This remains true if you opened them at a Post Office.
An unknown holding needs an NS&I tracing request. Follow the current official route shown by National Savings and Investments.
My Lost Account may help if you are unsure who held old savings. It can cover NS&I, a bank, or a building society. It cannot recover a forgotten NS&I login.
If you know the product exists, recover NS&I online access instead. This is the faster route for a forgotten sign-in.
Depending on the product and your details, NS&I may offer an online request. It may also ask for a form or correspondence. This helps NS&I trace the account without creating a duplicate request.
⚠️ Do not submit a tracing request for an account already visible online. Recover access first.
Gather evidence NS&I can match
Create a short history linking your current identity to the old investment. Old details can help more than current ID alone.
List present identity details
Record your current full name and date of birth. Also record your address, telephone number, and email.
Keep photo ID and proof of address ready. Send documents only when NS&I asks.
A clear list prevents small mistakes during the request.
Add every historical clue
List former surnames and spelling changes. Include old addresses and rough opening dates.
Add product names, certificate numbers, and old account numbers. For Premium Bonds, include the denomination, purchase date, or any certificate detail you can read.
The most common mistake is giving only a current address. An old address may be the detail that links you to the account.
Keep copies and a reference log
Save forms, submission dates, reference numbers, and document requests. Use the official NS&I website for every request.
Third-party tracing firms cannot force a faster result. NS&I may need time to compare old records.
Keep every reference number in one place.
⚠️ Do not send ID before NS&I requests it through a verified channel.
Deal with old bonds and other people’s claims
Use the right authority route when the investment is not solely yours. A record match does not let another person manage it.
Check old Premium Bonds
Recover the Premium Bonds holder’s number if possible. If not, give NS&I certificate details, old addresses, and rough purchase dates.
Premium Bonds do not expire because they are decades old. Check unclaimed prizes separately after you identify the holding.
An old certificate can still be useful evidence.
Claim after a death
Use the deceased estate claim process after a holder dies. Prepare the death certificate and proof of authority.
Proof may include probate or letters of administration. NS&I may require these documents.
Next of Kin status alone does not let you instruct NS&I.
Act with power of attorney
Give registered Power of Attorney details when acting for a living holder. NS&I may ask for ID from both the attorney and donor.
Do not use the donor’s login. Do not pretend to be the donor.
A common case involves an adult child with an old certificate. The child still needs legal authority before NS&I can discuss the investment.
⚠️ Do not rely on family status alone when the holder has died or lacks capacity.
Submit safely and manage a match
Submit the right official request and use verified NS&I channels only. A tracing result may lead to further ID checks. It may not lead to payment straight away.
When NS&I confirms a possible match, check the name, address, and product details. Give the requested ID and update your contact details.
State what you want to do with the product. If no match appears, review old names, addresses, and providers.
Never pay a caller to speed up a claim. Never share a password.
⚠️ Do not send money or disclose a password to anyone claiming they can speed up an NS&I tracing result.
No single timescale is guaranteed for a tracing search. NS&I may compare historic details with name changes and old addresses.
Watch the contact method used in your request. Reply quickly if NS&I asks for more details.
NS&I may ask for an old certificate number. It may also ask for NS&I proof of identity.
A search for your holding usually focuses on your identity. An estate claim for NS&I savings may also need death and probate papers.
A Power of Attorney claim needs proof that the attorney can act. Confirmation of a possible record starts verification. It does not guarantee immediate access or payment.
⚠️ A possible match is not proof of payment. Complete every identity check NS&I requests.
Frequently asked questions
How far back can NS&I trace Premium Bonds?
NS&I can investigate Premium Bonds bought decades ago. Give old names, addresses, certificate details, and a rough purchase period.
Age alone does not end the holding.
How do I trace old lost Premium Bonds?
First recover your holder’s number if possible. Use NS&I tracing when you cannot identify the holding.
Check unclaimed prizes after NS&I confirms enough bond details.
Are 50-year-old Premium Bonds still valid?
Premium Bonds do not become invalid merely because they are 50 years old. NS&I must still verify the holder and match the old bond record.
Only then can NS&I discuss payment or prizes.
Can I trace an NS&I account for my late parent?
You can start an estate claim for a late parent’s NS&I account. NS&I may require probate or letters of administration.
A death certificate and Next of Kin status may not be enough.
What happens after NS&I finds my investment?
NS&I usually asks you to verify your identity before changing or paying the product. It may also ask you to update contact details.
You may regain access, keep the investment, cash it in, or arrange an eligible ISA transfer.
The essential points:- Recover online access first when you know the NS&I account exists.
- Give NS&I former names, addresses, and product clues, not only current identification.
- Old Premium Bonds may still be valid, but prize checks need holder or bond details.
- Estate and Power of Attorney claims need legal authority before NS&I can act.
The current NS&I tracing route is on the official NS&I website. Use its live instructions, not an old saved form.
Evidence requests can change.
Further reading
If you want to learn more about this topic, these sources may interest you:
