Unclaimed premium bond prizes reach £100,000,000 – have you won big?

More than £100 million in premium bonds is still up for grabs, with two lucky people becoming instant millionaires every month.

Premium bonds are a lottery-style government-backed savings account, with people able to add in or take out money whenever they want.

For each £1 bond put in, the buyer is paid interest in return with the amount decided by a monthly prize draw.

Some receive nothing, while others can claim all the way up to the £1 million jackpot.

But many are unaware they even have accounts and could have significant winnings waiting for them.

Here is how you check:

What time is the Premium Bond Draw?

The prize checker website is updated on the day after the first working day of each month.

It was last updated yesterday. Users only need to enter their holder’s number – which has either nine, 10 or eight digits followed by a letter.

Winners should also receive a notification they have won via or text or email.

Premium Bond winners for August 2025

Although holders need to check on NS&I’s website themselves, it has been announced where the millionaire winners are from.

One user who won a prize in the millions was from Bedfordshire and invested £7,000.

Meanwhile someone from overseas who invested £50,000 has also won a prize in the millions.

Can you check old Premium Bond numbers?

Within the total there are 2.5 million unclaimed prizes work £103 million, including 11 people who have won £100,000.

Critics have argued not enough is being done to trace winners, but as the first draw was in 1957, many holders only have paper records which they have not updated.

Many people are also unaware they even have bonds, having been gifted them as children or they were never given a paper certificate.

The oldest unclaimed prize was £25 won in November 1957.

NS&I retail director Andrew Westhead said: ‘The £103m of prizes currently unclaimed represents just 0.28% of the total £37bn awarded by ERNIE over nearly seven decades.’

Operator National Savings and Investments (NS&I) has said every jackpot millionaire have received their money.

Family unable to trace accounts

Melanie Clarke told the BBC she found premium bond papers while going through her late dad Hugo’s affairs.

Her mum explained some were a gift to her and her sister, but Hugo did not leave a will.

Melanie said: ‘They’re quite delicate and flimsy…[I thought of the papers] what part of that is important?

‘How do I found out any information about this?’

She is now in a weeks-long exchange with NS&I to try and trace the accounts.

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