You could have more than £2,000 sitting in a forgotten savings account without even knowing it
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Two Premium Bonds holders have started November £1million richer after winning this month’s top prizes.
The jackpot winners are from Shropshire and Outer London, with one securing the life-changing sum from a Bond worth just £5,000.
The first winning Bond, numbered 652GW962089, belongs to a saver from Shropshire with the maximum £50,000 holding.
The Bond formed part of a £48,990 investment purchased in November 2025.
The second £1million prize went to a saver from Outer London who holds £30,000 in Premium Bonds.
Their winning Bond, numbered 175WW854599, came from a £5,000 investment made in December 2010.
Premium Bonds work differently from an ordinary savings account because they do not pay interest.
Instead, every £1 Bond is entered into a monthly prize draw, giving savers the chance to win tax-free prizes ranging from £25 to £1million.
The annual prize fund rate is currently 4.35 per cent. However, this is variable, meaning it can change.
The odds of winning are 21,000 to one for every £1 Bond held in each monthly draw. These odds can also change, and there is no guarantee that a saver will win anything.
Any prizes received are free from UK Income Tax and Capital Gains Tax.
People can start saving with £25 and hold up to £50,000 in Premium Bonds. Anyone aged 16 or over can buy them, provided they have a UK bank account.
Adults can also buy Premium Bonds as a gift for a child under 16.
One advantage is that savers can access their money when they need it. However, Premium Bonds may not be suitable for people who want regular income or guaranteed returns, and they cannot be held in joint names.
Savers should also remember that inflation can reduce the real value of their money over time, particularly if they do not win any prizes.
Newly purchased Bonds are not entered into a draw immediately and must first become eligible.
Every eligible £1 Bond has the same chance of winning, although holding more Bonds gives savers more entries in each draw.
Beyond the two million-pound windfalls, October’s draw awarded 6,546,849 prizes worth a combined £498,378,775.
These included 96 prizes of £100,000 and 191 worth £50,000, alongside 382 payouts of £25,000.
The smallest £25 prizes accounted for more than 1.7 million of the awards.
Prizes ranging from £25 to £100,000 can be checked through the NS&I website, the Premium Bonds prize checker app or Alexa.
Anyone checking through the NS&I website will need their Premium Bonds holder’s number. App users can enter either their holder’s number or their NS&I number.
Winners who have registered their contact details can receive prize notifications by email or text, depending on their chosen method.
However, almost 2.9 million prizes worth more than £128million remain unclaimed.
NS&I said more than 99 per cent of prizes have been paid since the draw began in 1957. Some go unclaimed because holders move home or change their contact or bank details without updating NS&I.
Anyone who thinks they may have an unclaimed prize more than 18 months old can check using their holder’s number on the NS&I website or prize checker app.
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