Released on: February 23, 2009, 11:12 pm
Author: Gill Stephens
Industry: Financial
A major nationwide search has been launched by National Savings and Investments (NS&I) to track down the winners of over 550,000 unclaimed Premium Bond prizes worth over £30 million in total. This is the largest amount ever left unclaimed and includes one prize worth £100,000, two worth £25,000 and ten worth £10,000.
The prizes commonly become unclaimed because people fail to pass on new addresses when they move house, they have forgotten that Bonds had been bought for them when they were a child or executors are unaware the Bonds are held when someone dies. Over a third (37%) of people who have lost touch with their savings have moved home and failed to tell all their financial providers their new address. Half (50%) say they find it difficult to remember all of the accounts they have opened over the years.
The unclaimed premium bond prizes range all the way from £25 up to £100,000. NS&I gives away over one million tax-free* Premium Bond prizes each month.
Sally Swait, Premium Bond manager at NS&I said: "Following the expense of Christmas, tracing lost Premium Bonds prizes may prove to be a welcome source of extra money for some."
She continued, "We urge anyone who believes they could have unclaimed prizes to check with us. The easiest way is to use our website and there is no time limit on claiming the prizes."
There are two ways to check for an unclaimed prize: The Premium Bond prize checker is on the home page of the NS&I website at www.nsandi.com - customers simply need to enter their Premium Bond holder's number into the search facility.
Alternatively customers can write to
Premium Bonds
National Savings and Investments
Blackpool
FY3 9YP
There is no time limit on claiming prizes and each unclaimed prize is held until the winner can be tracked down. The oldest unclaimed prize dates back to November 1957 for the sum of £25.
Notes to editors:
* All Premium Bonds prizes are free of UK income Tax and Capital Gains tax.
About NS&I:
NS&I is one of the largest financial providers in the UK with 28 million customers and over £83 billion invested. It is best known for Premium Bonds, but also offers High Income Bonds, ISA accounts, Guaranteed Equity Bonds and Children's Bonus Bonds in its range. All products offer 100% security, because NS&I is backed by HM Treasury.
NS&I products are available over the telephone, internet, post and by standing order. They are also available through a network of 14,000 UK Post Office branches.
For further media information, please contact:
Gill Stephens
National Savings and Investments
375 Kensington High Street
London
W14 8SD
T: 020 7348 9301
F: 020 7348 9432
www.nsandi.com