Who can manage NS&I savings in your situation?
You need to be the account holder, a young person aged 16 or over, or someone with legal authority. The real issue is not family help. It is formal authority.
Is the saver 16 and taking control?
A young person who reaches 16 can take control of eligible NS&I savings in their own name. This changes who gives instructions, but not who owns the money.
The young person remains the beneficial owner. This stays true even if a parent paid every pound into the account.
Does the adult have mental capacity?
An adult with mental capacity can understand and decide about the matter at hand. They can appoint an attorney to help manage their money.
The usual document is a registered Lasting Power of Attorney for Property and Financial Affairs. It is often called a property and financial affairs LPA.
Has the adult lost mental capacity?
If an adult has lost capacity, a suitable LPA may not exist. A valid older authority may also be absent.
A Court of Protection deputy may then need to act. A deputyship is a court appointment for specified financial matters.
Choose your route before contacting NS&I:
1. Aged 16 or 17, managing savings in your own name: ask how to register control.
2. Adult has capacity: register a valid property and financial affairs LPA, EPA or other accepted authority.
3. Adult lacks capacity and no valid authority exists: seek advice on a Court of Protection deputyship.
The Office of the Public Guardian explains LPAs and deputyships for England and Wales. See GOV.UK guidance on powers of attorney.
Ownership, joint accounts and keeping money
NS&I holdings are usually in one named person’s name. An attorney, deputy, carer or relative does not become a joint holder by helping.
The named saver remains the beneficial owner. Premium Bonds cannot normally move into a living relative’s name.
Any money received must be used for that saver’s benefit. The same rule applies to adult ISA withdrawals and transfers.
An authorised representative may request action within their authority and product rules. They must protect the ISA holder’s ownership and tax position.
Keep the adult’s money, records and letters separate from yours. This matters most when using a property and financial affairs LPA.
At 16, a junior ISA is controlled but locked
At 16, a Junior ISA holder can usually take over management. They cannot normally withdraw the funds until 18.
What changes on the 16th birthday?
From their 16th birthday, the young person can become NS&I’s contact for an eligible Junior ISA. A parent may have been the registered contact before then.
That parent should not assume they can keep changing details alone. The young person must now be involved.
When can junior ISA money be withdrawn?
Junior ISA money is normally unavailable from age 16 to 18. The main exceptions are terminal illness or the child’s death.
Both exceptions need a separate process and supporting evidence. NS&I will explain what proof it needs.
The common advice says a parent manages the Junior ISA until 18. That advice misses a key change at 16.
Management changes at 16. Normal withdrawal rights usually do not.
Junior ISA timeline: control is not withdrawal
Before 16
Registered contact manages the account.
Age 16 to 17
Young person takes control, but funds remain locked.
Age 18+
It becomes an adult ISA. Withdrawals and transfers may then be made.
Match the authority document to mental capacity
A registered LPA can let an attorney manage an adult’s NS&I savings. A deputyship is usually needed if capacity has already been lost.
This applies where no valid authority exists. The document must match the adult’s current ability to decide.
When does an LPA allow action?
A property and financial affairs LPA can cover savings, bills, investments and property decisions. It works once the Office of the Public Guardian has registered it.
NS&I may still need its own form and checks. It can require these before allowing access or instructions.
An Ordinary Power of Attorney usually suits someone who still has mental capacity. It normally ends if that person loses capacity.
It cannot usually be used after a stroke, dementia progression, or another loss of decision-making ability. Check the exact authority before sending any request.
- NS&I registration or authority form: Use the version for the product and authority type.
- Original or certified LPA, EPA or deputyship copy: NS&I may reject a plain photocopy.
- Identity and address evidence: This confirms the holder and the person seeking authority.
- Witness letter or declaration: Do not use a relative where the form needs an independent witness.
- Account details and National Insurance number: Give these if NS&I requests them.
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A labelled document organiser can keep certified copies, account references and NS&I letters together. It helps while NS&I checks the authority.
- Separates LPA or deputyship papers from day-to-day account statements
- Keeps Premium Bonds holder numbers and ISA correspondence easy to find
- Reduces the risk of mixing the holder’s documents with your own
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The product and your authority decide the available contact route. NS&I may deal with requests online, by phone, or by post.
| Situation | Document needed | Who acts | Likely route | Next step |
|---|
| Junior ISA, age 16 or 17 | Identity and NS&I registration details | Young holder | Ask NS&I which services apply | Register control; no normal withdrawal |
| Premium Bonds, adult has capacity | Registered LPA or accepted authority | Attorney | Authority may need post registration | Ask about the chosen transaction |
| Direct ISA or Cash ISA, no capacity | Deputyship order or valid authority | Deputy or attorney | Often document-led checks | Confirm withdrawal or transfer channel |
| Investment Account or bereavement case | Authority, probate or letters of administration | Deputy, executor or administrator | Usually contact NS&I first | Request the correct paper process |
What can be done online or by phone?
Online access may be available for some holders and products. It is not a universal route for attorneys or deputies.
Telephone support can explain the process. A call cannot usually replace certified authority documents.
NS&I must see those documents before granting access. Do not assume an online login proves you can act.
When is post the safer route?
Post is often needed to register an LPA, EPA or Court of Protection order. It may also be needed for older products or bereavement requests.
An executor named in a will follows a different estate process. An administrator needs letters of administration where there is no will.
Before you contact NS&I, write down the product name and holder number. Also note the action you want and the authority you hold.
This guidance does not apply if you only choose between a Cash ISA and Premium Bonds. It cannot replace legal advice where relatives disagree, capacity is uncertain, a deputyship is pending, or abuse is suspected.
Legal authority is not the same as account access
For NS&I savings management, legal authority and digital access are separate steps. A financial authority does not give you the saver’s password.
A financial power of attorney or a Court of Protection deputyship may let you give instructions. It does not mean you should use their security number or phone credentials.
NS&I may need to register the authority first. It will then confirm what you can do online, by phone, or by post.
Keep a record of the product, holder number and requested action. This helps prevent mistakes with NS&I account instructions.
A valid savings account legal authority does not guarantee access to every service. Product rules can still limit the route or transaction.
Questions & answers
Can i manage my mum's premium bonds?
You can manage your mum’s Premium Bonds only with accepted legal authority. This could be a registered LPA or deputyship.
Being her child, carer or next of kin is not enough. The Bonds remain in her name.
Can a 16-year-old withdraw a junior ISA?
A 16-year-old can usually manage a Junior ISA but cannot normally withdraw money before 18. Limited exceptions include terminal illness or death.
NS&I will require evidence for those claims. Normal withdrawals remain locked until adulthood.
Can i register a power of attorney with NS&I
You should not assume NS&I allows every Power of Attorney registration online. Ask about the specific product first.
NS&I may require certified documents or a postal form. Its checks can differ by product and authority type.
Can premium bonds be transferred to a living relative?
Premium Bonds cannot normally transfer to a living relative who helps with the account. An attorney or deputy can manage them for the holder.
They do not become the owner. The named holder keeps the Bonds and any prize rights.
Lo esencial:
• At 16, a young person gains management control of eligible savings in their own name. They do not gain normal Junior ISA withdrawal rights.
• A family connection does not create authority over an adult’s NS&I money.
• Use a registered LPA where the adult can appoint one. Consider deputyship where capacity is absent.
• Premium Bonds stay with the named holder. The product and authority type decide the available channel.
Learn more
Here are some additional resources on this subject:
