How to find lost Premium Bonds

If you have your holder's number

NS&I says a holder's number is 10 digits, 9 digits, or 8 digits followed by a letter, and that you will find it on most Premium Bonds documents. With it, you can register for an online account and see your savings. NS&I notes that bonds held for a long time may need a call or a posted form to finish registering.

If you do not have it

Use the NS&I tracing form. NS&I checks its records and contacts you with next steps. You can also use a printable paper form or write a letter. Have these ready:

• your full name and current address
• the address you had when you invested, if different, and any previous addresses
• any previous name
• the approximate date or year you opened the account
• anything else you know about the account

NS&I says it aims to confirm accounts or investments within a month of receiving your application, and that it may take longer at busy times.

Check old prizes

The NS&I prize checker takes a holder's number. NS&I's prizes page says it shows this month, the previous six draws, and older prizes you never collected. It also has a section to check another holder's number.

Certificates and bonds of someone who has died

NS&I says only certain people can search for another person's bonds: the parent or guardian of a child under 16, someone with Power of Attorney, or the executor of a will. Its tracing page says you must be legally entitled to act, and that each person needs a separate application.

Other lost savings

My Lost Account says it traces lost NS&I products, along with bank and building society accounts. See our guide to finding old bank accounts in your name, and our guide to finding a Child Trust Fund. More routes are on our United Kingdom page.

Common questions

What if I have lost my holder's number?

Use the NS&I online tracing form. NS&I says it is for people who do not know their holder's number, are not sure they have bonds, or have found bonds that may not be theirs. You can also use a paper form or write a letter.

Can I check old prizes I never collected?

Yes. NS&I's prizes page says the prize checker shows this month, the previous six draws, and older prizes you never collected. You need the holder's number.

Can I search for a relative's Premium Bonds?

NS&I says only the parent or guardian of a child under 16, someone with Power of Attorney, or the executor of a will can do this. Each person needs a separate application.

We always point people to the free government tracing route first, and we take nothing from financial advisers.