An NS&I fixed-term bond has a maturity date, so review the notice and instruction deadline before deciding whether to reinvest, withdraw or move the money.
Check the deadline before choosing a new home
Your exact NS&I maturity date and instruction deadline should guide your next step, and the product notice is the authority because options and dates can vary.
Check these details before replying
Check the maturity date, final instruction date and nominated bank account before responding.
- Your current postal address and email address.
- The product number and all account holders' names.
- Your online log-in, password and two-step security method.
- The bank sort code and account number held by NS&I.
- Whether proof of identity or probate papers could be needed.
Choose access before chasing the rate
Money needed within the next 6 to 12 months usually needs easy access rather than another fixed term.
If the money has a known spending date, write that date beside the maturity date. A gap of less than 12 months usually points towards withdrawal, an easy-access account or a suitable Cash ISA rather than a new multi-year term.
Treat the maturity process as a sequence of separate dates. First, the NS&I maturity notice explains the available choices and identifies the final date for instructions. Next comes the maturity instruction deadline, which is the point by which NS&I needs a valid response if you want a particular outcome. The NS&I maturity date is when the original fixed term ends; it is not necessarily the same day that cleared money appears in your bank.
After NS&I has processed a withdrawal, check the confirmation and your nominated bank account, allowing for the payment timing stated in the notice and normal bank processing. If no instruction is accepted in time, the product terms or notice determine the default outcome.
Fixed-term NS&I bonds need instructions
A Guaranteed Growth Bond, Guaranteed Income Bond or Children’s Bond can reach maturity, after which NS&I follows the options in its maturity communication.
What happens on the maturity date?
The agreed fixed period ends, so check the confirmation for the expected payment timing rather than assuming a same-day bank transfer.
What if the product is closed?
A closed investment may sit in a Residual Account, an administrative holding place for money that has not been paid away or reinvested under available instructions.
From maturity notice to money in the right place
About 30 days before
Read the notice and compare options.
Before the deadline
Check bank details and send instructions.
Maturity date
The original fixed term ends.
After confirmation
Check where the money has gone.
For a fixed-term bond maturity, start with the route shown in your NS&I maturity notice rather than assuming every option is available online. Where online servicing is offered, you may be able to give a bond reinvestment or withdrawal instruction through your account; however, NS&I can require a form or further checks where account details have changed, the holding is in joint names, or identity evidence is needed.
Make sure the nominated bank account belongs to the correct holder and matches the details NS&I holds. If a paper form is required, allow time for delivery, completion and processing before the maturity instruction deadline.
Compare renewal, a cash ISA and premium bonds
Renew only if the new term fits your timeframe; choose a Cash ISA for eligible tax-free interest, and Premium Bonds only if variable prize returns suit you.
Use this decision route
- Need cash soon? Withdraw to an easy-access account or consider a Cash ISA with suitable access.
- Known goal more than a year away? Compare NS&I reinvestment rates and terms with other savings accounts.
- Want tax-free interest? Check available ISA allowance and use an ISA transfer process where relevant.
- Can accept uncertain returns? Premium Bonds may suit, but prizes are not guaranteed.
Which option fits each NS&I holding?
| Holding or destination | Maturity or access | Return type | Best check before acting |
|---|
| Guaranteed Growth Bond | Fixed term ends | Guaranteed interest | New term and access rules |
| Guaranteed Income Bond | Fixed term ends | Income interest | Whether income is still needed |
| Children’s Bond or closed issue | Product-specific | Check issue terms | Holder, maturity and documents |
| Residual Account | No assumed new term | Do not assume old rate | How NS&I will release it |
| Cash ISA | Access varies by provider | Tax-free interest | ISA rules and transfer method |
| Premium Bonds | No maturity date | Tax-free prizes, variable | Need for predictable return |
Premium Bonds preserve capital under the HM Treasury guarantee, but somebody needing a certain sum in 12 to 24 months may prefer guaranteed interest because a prize draw can deliver no prize.
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Useful for this topic
A paper maturity planner can help keep several NS&I dates, bank details and ISA deadlines in one visible place. It is most useful where a household has more than one fixed-term holding.
- Space to record each NS&I maturity date and instruction deadline
- A simple record of nominated bank accounts and account references
- Prompts to compare a renewal against an ISA or easy-access account
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Fix access and bank problems before maturity
Contact NS&I as soon as an access, address or bank-detail problem appears, because completing checks and paper forms can take longer than giving an online instruction.
If you cannot log in or find the letter
Use NS&I’s official contact routes and have your name, address, product details and any old account number ready.
If your instructions are late
Late instructions may mean NS&I applies the default process in the notice or terms, so ask what has happened and whether a change remains possible.
If the notice has not arrived, do not wait until the last few days before maturity. Check that your postal and email addresses are current, then use NS&I's official contact route to ask for the maturity options and deadline. If you cannot access your online account, begin account recovery promptly rather than repeatedly attempting to log in, as security checks may be required. A changed nominated bank account should also be dealt with early, because NS&I may need to verify the new details before releasing funds.
Where instructions are already late, ask which default action has been applied and whether the money is still available to withdraw, reinvest or move after it reaches a Residual Account.
What to do next with your NS&I money
Confirm the deadline, decide when you need the cash, check tax treatment and then compare actual terms.
Common questions
What happens when my NS&I bond matures?
A fixed-term NS&I bond ends on its maturity date, and NS&I provides product-specific reinvestment or withdrawal options.
What if I did not receive my NS&I maturity letter?
Contact NS&I before the deadline and check your online account and address details.
How do I withdraw money from NS&I to my bank?
Check the nominated account name, sort code and account number before sending instructions.
Do Premium Bonds mature after a fixed period?
Premium Bonds do not mature and remain eligible for monthly draws until cashed in.
Is interest from an NS&I bond taxable?
Bond interest can be taxable depending on income and savings allowances; Cash ISA interest and Premium Bonds prizes are normally tax-free.
Should I renew my NS&I bond or use a Cash ISA?
Renew if the term and rate suit your goal; a Cash ISA may be better where tax-free interest and access matter more.
The essentials:- Read the NS&I notice and act by its exact deadline, not an assumed date.
- Fixed-term NS&I products mature, but Premium Bonds stay in prize draws until withdrawn.
- Match access to the date you need the money, especially for goals within 6 to 12 months.
- Compare tax, guaranteed interest and variable prize returns before renewing.
Learn more
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