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NS&I: Premium Bond reviews

Name: Premium Bond
Rating: 2.94 (144 reviews)

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2.80

Based on 144 reviews, last reviewed 6th Mar 2025

50% decrease in 5 star reviews

in the past 90 days

50% increase in 1 star reviews

in the past 90 days

35%

13%

44%

Latest highest rating:

5

Safe but worth it as interest rates rise? Used to be a dead cert for somewhere to keep money safe when savings interest rates were next to %zero. Now savings rates are returning a sum of sorts... Read more Reviewed on: 27th February 2025

Latest lowest rating:

1

40k in premium bonds for 5 months and only won £175. 40k in premium bonds for 5 months and only won £175. 3 months won nothing. Much better off in shares or high interest savings account. Reviewed on: 6th March 2025

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About this product

NS&I bond reviews are honest reviews written by people like you. While many people look at the interest rates on offer, what about the NS&I's customer service? Smart Money People is fast becoming the UK's leading source of independent NS&I bond reviews. We need your help! By writing your honest reviews, you can help increase trust and transparency in the financial world.

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NS&I Premium Bond reviews (144)

Paying off well so far

We are frantically saving towards paying off a help to buy scheme and decided to use premium bonds to help us gain more money. So far it's working very well. We haven't won millions but at least £25 each month often more. #MaxYourMoney Reviewed on: 1st March 2017

Straight forward service

After debating getting premium bonds I'm really pleased I did, applying online couldn't have been any more straightforward and within 3 days I had a letter to confirm everything. Simple & speedy Reviewed on: 14th November 2016

Premium Bonds - never had a sniff of even a £25 win

I've had several thousand pounds in Premium Bonds for a few years now. I've never even had one £25 win. I would have been better off putting my money in a bank account - even with today's low interest rates at least I would have got some return. I believe that recently the odds of winning became even worse, so I wouldn't recommend these at all. Unless you're not bothered about getting some sort of return on your money. Reviewed on: 14th October 2016

Only invest if you enjoy paperwork and mental torture

This is simply the worst set up investment service you will ever encounter - the call centre advisors readily offer that it's because they're a 'government service' - meaning a lot of money being thrown at process and bureaucracy in the name of your 'security'. So secure that within a month of filling out the same paperwork I'd filled out 2 years before (which takes a week to arrive by snail mail) and having to post a form back to reactivate my account - just to invest - they had de-activated it again because my password had expired. My password expired within a month so I have to do the whole process again. You can't make it up. I only invest/ check on the account every 1-2 years and I am told that I am 'barely using' my account and that's why I'll keep having to go through a 2 week process each time to do anything. It's bonds, not everyday banking. The time you'll invest in admin on your bonds will, in all likeliness, not be worth any money you'll win and should be a serious consideration. Essentially, they cannot cope with the modern world. They are an anacranism that desperately needs someone to come in and overhaul the whole thing to re-work the service to suit the needs of the customers. Currently this is a typical, geriatric, government service where you're not a customer, you're the public and they are doing you a favour. Unless you have time to burn and don't mind excruciating repetition, put your money anywhere else. Reviewed on: 17th September 2016

Left hand doesnt know what the right hand is doing!!

The worst customer service. A standing order went out of my account and came back from NS&I as there was a computer glitch. They sent me a letter to apologise and if I wanted to invest the money still I would not lose a month. The past two months I have invested the money to enter the following draw but they cannot do it. Even after speaking to a manager who assured me it would happen, it has not! No one takes ownership of the problem I keep on getting fobbed off. Whenever you ring nobody takes ownership even on the E-mails. They might as well not be in the office. Reviewed on: 15th September 2016

poor service

Online access is poor and unreliable and very clunky ....need to catch up with other providers Reviewed on: 14th April 2016

Money is safe

I have had £500 in premium bonds for over 10 years and have never had a win. Should really put the money to better use elsewhere, but keep thinking that a win is just round the corner, so leave it there. At least the money is safe Reviewed on: 28th March 2016

Money is safe

you know that your money is safe and there is always the chance of a big win. However even though I have £1000 invested I have only had one win of £25. There will always be winners and losers but I know my money is safe Reviewed on: 28th March 2016

DONT BANK ON THE BIG ONE

You dont go in the draw immediately - you have to hold for a full calendar month which is disappointing. So far I have has a few small wins of £25 each and I live in hope of something bigger. Have the security though that my money is safe Reviewed on: 28th March 2016

hope to win

This is a safe place for your money and you are not losing much when interest rates are so low. I have £10000 invested and have won £50 in the last 6 months. not much really but I live in hope of the big one Reviewed on: 28th March 2016

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NS&I: Premium Bond reviews

50% decrease in 5 star reviews

50% increase in 1 star reviews

Latest highest rating:

5

Latest lowest rating:

1

About this product

Review NS&I: Premium Bond now

NS&I Premium Bond reviews (144)

Paying off well so far

Straight forward service

Premium Bonds - never had a sniff of even a £25 win

Only invest if you enjoy paperwork and mental torture

Left hand doesnt know what the right hand is doing!!

poor service

Money is safe

Money is safe

DONT BANK ON THE BIG ONE

hope to win

Do you have a different NS&I product?

There's still more to see!

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