A parent may try to cash in a child’s Premium Bonds after the child turns 16. A carer may try to update an elderly relative’s NS&I details.
The request can be rejected if the person acting lacks the required access.
Age and product decide who may act for NS&I
Who may manage NS&I savings depends on the holder’s age, product, and recorded authority.
Permissions by account and age
| Product | Under 16 | Age 16 to 17 | Age 18+ |
|---|
| Premium Bonds | A registered parent or guardian can buy, manage details, and cash in for the child’s benefit. | The holder can take control. Money may be cashed in under product rules. | The holder alone manages, adds funds, changes details, and cashes in. |
| Junior ISA | The registered contact opens and manages it. Anyone can usually pay in. | The child may manage it, but cannot normally withdraw money. | It becomes an adult ISA. The holder can withdraw or transfer it. |
| Investment Account | Check NS&I records and account terms. This is a legacy product. | The holder’s control depends on the recorded account type. | The adult holder manages it, unless NS&I accepts an attorney or deputy. |
Money paid in still belongs to the child
Paying into a child’s account gives a parent or grandparent no ownership share. Premium Bond prizes belong to the holder.
Junior ISA savings are held for the child.
A Junior ISA cannot normally be cashed in before 18. Taking control at 16 changes who gives instructions. It does not make the money available.
For Premium Bonds for children, a registered parent or guardian can normally buy Bonds before the holder turns 16. They can also manage the account.
The Bonds and any prizes remain the child’s property. At 16, the child can take control by registering for their own NS&I access.
They can change details or ask to cash in Premium Bonds. Product rules still apply.
A Junior ISA works differently. The registered contact opens and manages it before age 16.
Other people may pay in. The young person cannot normally take money out at 16 or 17.
The Junior ISA rules usually keep savings locked until adulthood. An Investment Account may have different legacy terms.
Check the exact account type before asking NS&I to change access. Also check before asking it to release money.
At 16 take control, but wait until 18 for ISA cash
A young person may take control of qualifying savings at 16. A Junior ISA normally stays unavailable until age 18.
First, confirm the product type. Then check that the young person’s name, address, and birth date match their ID.
Follow NS&I’s process to take control or set up online access. Older accounts or name changes may need postal forms.
A Junior ISA becomes an adult ISA at maturity. To transfer it, ask the new provider to start an ISA transfer.
Do not withdraw cash first. This helps preserve the ISA’s tax-free status.
Child savings control timeline
Under 16
Registered contact manages.
16 to 17
Young person may take control. Junior ISA stays locked.
18 and over
Junior ISA matures. Withdraw, keep, or transfer.
Another adult needs an accepted legal authority
Being a spouse, child, or carer does not automatically let you manage another adult’s NS&I savings.
Documents NS&I may need
An attorney with a registered Lasting Power of Attorney may act after NS&I accepts the authority. A Court of Protection deputy may also act.
Prepare ID, address evidence, account details, and the authority document. Check the current process with National Savings and Investments before sending originals.
Family permission is not legal permission
A capable adult should manage their own account, even if a relative helps with forms. If capacity is in doubt, formal authority matters.
NS&I may allow only an accepted attorney or deputy to change an address. The same rule may apply to other instructions.
⭐
Selected for you
A labelled financial document folder can keep ID copies, account numbers, and attorney papers together. It can help while NS&I checks an authority request.
- Keeps Premium Bond and ISA reference numbers apart from everyday paperwork.
- Gives one place for certified authority papers and postal form copies.
- Helps a registered contact track address and name-change evidence.
View on Amazon →
When helping another adult, separate practical help from authority to instruct NS&I. A relative may help a capable adult find account numbers or complete forms.
They may also join a phone call while the holder is present. This does not give them control over the savings.
NS&I normally needs legal authority if the holder cannot give instructions. An attorney or deputy should first check how NS&I wants the authority registered.
They should then send the requested account details, ID, address evidence, and authority document. Do not send documents that NS&I has not requested.
For example, do not send a National Insurance number or witness declaration unless the form asks. Some cases use online or phone channels.
Older holdings and authority registrations can need postal forms.
Avoid blocked changes and invalid ISA transfers
Blocked requests often result from a mismatch in names, account records, or documents.
Keep the holder’s full name, address, birth date, customer number, and product details ready. Only the adult recorded by NS&I can usually instruct on a child’s account.
This applies until the young holder takes control.
Online access does not remove the need for a paper form. Send one where NS&I asks for it.
Do not cash in a Junior ISA to fund an adult ISA. Use the receiving provider’s transfer process instead.
This guidance does not replace legal advice during family conflict, suspected lack of mental capacity, or estate administration after death. It does not apply to savings outside NS&I. It also does not tell you which investment to choose.
If a request is blocked, check that NS&I has the correct person and current details. A parent who pays in may not be the registered parent or guardian.
A person who opened a Junior ISA may not be its current registered contact. Where several adults are involved, NS&I usually follows the recorded authority.
This remains the case until the child can manage the account. Postal-only accounts may not offer online access before identity checks finish.
Keep separate records for each NS&I account holder. A child may hold more than one eligible product.
After Junior ISA maturity at 18, identify the exact ISA before requesting a transfer. Ask the receiving provider to start the transfer.
This avoids an accidental withdrawal. It also protects the intended ISA transfer route.
Common questions
Can someone else pay into my NS&I account online?
Usually, if the product allows payments. The money and management rights remain with the named holder.
Can parents withdraw a child’s NS&I savings?
They may manage eligible Premium Bonds before age 16 for the child’s benefit. A Junior ISA normally cannot be withdrawn before 18.
Can I transfer a Junior ISA to another provider?
Yes. Use the receiving provider’s ISA transfer form instead of withdrawing the money.
What proof does an NS&I attorney need?
NS&I normally needs the accepted authority document. It also needs ID and address evidence.
What happens to Premium Bonds when the holder dies?
A personal representative manages them as part of the estate. Relatives do not automatically become holders.
Act before the 16th or 18th birthday
Check the product and account records before the next birthday. Update the young holder’s identity details.
For a Junior ISA, decide at 18 whether to keep, withdraw, or transfer tax-free savings. For an adult relative, confirm that NS&I accepts your legal authority.
Do this before asking for access.
Learn more
Here are some additional resources on this subject:
