Premium Bond Checker

How to check old Premium Bonds

Last reviewed: July 2026

Short answer

Old Premium Bonds do not expire simply because the paperwork is old. If they have not been cashed in, NS&I says they remain valid and keep entering monthly draws. Use your holder's number to check prizes. If that number is missing, recover the record through NS&I first.

Start with what you still have

  • Holder's number: use it in the official checker to see recent and unclaimed prizes.
  • Old Bond record: it should show the holder's number and the Bonds linked to it.
  • Only a name or old address: use NS&I's tracing or replacement-record process. Public prize checkers do not search personal holdings by name.

Historical numbers are not the same as your prize history

NS&I publishes downloadable winning Bond-number files for recent draws and an annual list of older unclaimed winning numbers. Those files can help with research, but a personal prize history still needs to be confirmed through NS&I. Our checker currently compares against the latest published draw only and should not be treated as a complete historical search.

View NS&I historical winning-number downloads

If the holder's number is missing

  1. 1. Sign in to the NS&I online service if the holding is already registered.
  2. 2. Ask NS&I for a replacement Bond record if you know you hold Premium Bonds.
  3. 3. Use the NS&I Tracing Service if you are not certain whether you still have an account.
  4. 4. Once recovered, use the official checker for the current month, the six previous draws and unclaimed prizes.
Open NS&I's old Bonds guidance

Old Premium Bonds questions

Are old Premium Bonds still valid?

Yes. NS&I says old Premium Bonds remain valid and continue to enter monthly draws unless they have been cashed in.

Is there a time limit for claiming a Premium Bonds prize?

No. NS&I says there is no time limit for claiming an unclaimed Premium Bonds prize.

Can I check old Premium Bonds without a holder's number?

Not through the public prize checker. If the number is missing, NS&I says you can request a replacement Bond record or use its Tracing Service if you are not sure whether you still hold Bonds.

Sources: NS&I old Bonds guidance and NS&I unclaimed-prize guidance. This site is independent of NS&I and HM Treasury and does not provide financial advice.