Two lucky Premium Bonds savers in the UK have found themselves instant millionaires following the September 2025 prize draw, with National Savings and Investments (NS&I) announcing that the coveted £1 million jackpots landed in County Durham and Cumbria. The news, released on September 1, 2025, has once again thrust the government-backed savings scheme into the spotlight, reminding millions of Britons of both the thrill and the odds of winning big with Premium Bonds.
The first jackpot winner hails from County Durham, holding Bond number 224BZ748917. This saver had invested the maximum permitted amount—£50,000—in Premium Bonds, and their winning bond was purchased in June 2014, according to NS&I. This marks the fifth time a County Durham resident has claimed the top prize in the history of the scheme. The second new millionaire is based in Cumbria, also holding £50,000 in Premium Bonds, with the winning Bond number 243VC581367 purchased in April 2015. For Cumbria, this is the twelfth time a local has struck gold with a £1 million win.
As reported by MoneyWeek, both winners were personally notified by Agent Million, the anonymous NS&I representative tasked with delivering the life-changing news. It’s a tradition that adds a touch of intrigue and excitement to the already electric atmosphere surrounding the monthly draw.
But the excitement didn’t end with these two headline-grabbing wins. The September 2025 draw saw a staggering 6,026,999 prizes distributed, with a total value of £397,781,850. According to official figures from NS&I, there were 132,593,956,732 eligible Bond numbers in this month’s draw—an eye-watering demonstration of the scheme’s popularity and reach. Since the very first draw in June 1957, over 784 million prizes have been awarded, amounting to more than £37.9 billion paid out to savers across the UK.
The breakdown of this month’s prizes reveals the scale of opportunity: in addition to the two £1 million jackpots, 76 prizes of £100,000, 150 of £50,000, 303 of £25,000, and thousands more ranging down to £25 were awarded. In fact, 2,797 savers took home high-value prizes between £5,000 and £1 million. Notably, a saver from Essex managed to win £100,000 with just £350 invested, showing that even modest holders have a shot at substantial prizes. Twelve more individuals won £100,000 each from bonds purchased within the last year, including a Birmingham resident whose winning bond was bought in July 2025, the most recent month eligible for the draw.
Andrew Westhead, NS&I’s retail director, offered his congratulations in a statement: "Congratulations to our two new jackpot winners from County Durham and Cumbria who’ve each won £1 million in September’s draw. Along with more than six million other prizes we’re awarding this month, it’s been another fantastic month for Premium Bonds holders. We’d also like to remind all Bond holders to keep their contact details up-to-date with us to ensure they don’t miss out on being notified of prizes."
Premium Bonds have long been a staple of British savings culture. Unlike traditional savings accounts, they don’t pay interest. Instead, each £1 invested gives the saver a 1 in 22,000 chance of winning a prize each month, with all winnings paid tax-free. The minimum investment is £25, and the maximum is capped at £50,000 per person. The draw is conducted by ERNIE (Electronic Random Number Indicator Equipment), a digital random number generator that has been picking winners since the scheme’s inception.
With over 24 million people participating and more than £127 billion banked, Premium Bonds are the UK’s largest savings product, as highlighted by Money Saving Expert. The scheme’s appeal lies in its combination of government-backed security and the tantalizing prospect of a life-changing windfall.
Yet, while tales of overnight millionaires capture the public imagination, the odds remain long. As reported by iNews, most participants will never win a prize, and the average return—often referred to as the “prize fund rate”—was 3.6% for the September 2025 draw. While this is competitive compared to some standard savings accounts, financial experts like Martin Lewis caution that most people will see lower returns, and many may never win at all. Still, for those who enjoy a flutter with zero risk to their capital, Premium Bonds remain an attractive option.
Checking whether you’re a winner has never been easier. From Tuesday, September 2, 2025, savers can use the official NS&I prize checker app, the nsandi.com website, or even Amazon Alexa to see if their numbers have come up. To use these services, customers need either their Premium Bonds holder’s number or their NS&I number, both readily available on account documents and communications.
Despite the excitement, a significant number of prizes go unclaimed every year. Sometimes, winners move house or change contact details without updating NS&I, resulting in missed notifications—especially for those who have opted to receive winnings by cheque. In County Durham alone, there are 11,448 unclaimed prizes worth £452,700, including two £5,000 prizes from January 2024 and November 2023. Cumbria fares similarly, with 16,259 unclaimed prizes totaling £626,100, the largest being a £10,000 prize won in September 2023. Nationwide, there are currently 2,629,312 unclaimed Premium Bonds prizes, with a collective value of £106,604,800 waiting to be claimed.
To address this, NS&I encourages customers to opt for direct bank payments or automatic reinvestment of winnings—methods now used for nine in ten payouts. Full instructions for updating payment preferences are available on the NS&I website, and customers are urged to check for unclaimed prizes using the online tools provided.
For those considering joining the Premium Bonds community, it’s worth noting that bonds can be purchased for oneself or gifted to children, making them a popular choice for families. The scheme’s combination of safety, flexibility, and the dream of a big win continues to draw savers from every walk of life.
As the September 2025 draw demonstrates, the allure of Premium Bonds endures. For two fortunate savers in County Durham and Cumbria, this month’s draw was nothing short of life-changing—a reminder that, while the odds may be steep, someone has to win. The rest of the UK’s millions of Premium Bonds holders will no doubt be checking their numbers, hoping that next time, it might just be their turn.
