Premium Bond prize checker — use NS&I only
ERNIE is run by National Savings & Investments. This page is a safe-route guide, modelled on how NS&I tells customers to check — we never ask for your holder number.
Updated 3 Sep 2026 Official sites linked Free · no account
Safe steps (same idea as NS&I’s own help)
- 1
Use nsandi.com only
Bookmark https://www.nsandi.com/prize-checker. Ignore lookalike apps, SMS links and pages that ask for your National Insurance number to ‘check ERNIE’.
- 2
Have your holder’s number
It is on the Bond record, NS&I online account or paper certificate — not your NI number.
- 3
Run the month you care about
Draws are monthly. Check the latest month and any months you skipped after a house move.
- 4
Unclaimed prizes
NS&I publishes unclaimed lists. High-value wins are contacted, but still check if your address changed.
Limits, prizes and tax
| Topic | What NS&I publishes |
|---|---|
| Minimum holding | £25 |
| Maximum holding | Confirm on NS&I (commonly £50,000) |
| Draw | Monthly (ERNIE) |
| Prize tax | UK tax-free prizes |
| Odds / prize-fund rate | Variable — only NS&I’s current page is valid |
Scam checklist
- No genuine checker needs your National Insurance number to run ERNIE.
- NS&I will not ask you to pay a “release fee” on a prize.
- Martin Lewis / MSE explain the official checker — they do not host a third-party ERNIE clone. Follow their link through to NS&I.
FAQs
Where do I check Premium Bond prizes?
Only on National Savings & Investments (nsandi.com). Bodhixt does not run ERNIE, does not store holder numbers and cannot see whether you won.
How often is the draw?
Monthly. The prize-fund rate and odds are set by NS&I and change. Read the current rate on NS&I before you buy more Bonds.
Are Premium Bond prizes taxed?
Prizes are tax-free in the UK. Your original stake is savings, not a guaranteed return. Cashing in returns the face value you hold.
What is the minimum and maximum holding?
You can hold from £25 up to the NS&I maximum (currently £50,000). Confirm the cap on NS&I if you are near the limit.
Someone offered to check my Bonds for a fee.
Treat that as a scam pattern. The official checker is free. Never share a holder number on social media or a random form.
Is this the same as a cash ISA?
No. Premium Bonds are a National Savings product. Prizes replace interest. ISAs have different rules — see GOV.UK ISAs.
Official sources
Use these sites for the legal answer. We summarise; they decide.
We are not NS&I. Odds and the prize-fund rate change. Never enter a holder number on this site.