Early Christmas bonus for two Premium Bonds holders as Agent Million shares the news

• December’s winners are from York and Essex 
• In 2023, more than 63 million prizes have been paid out, worth over £4.6 billion 
• Children won over one million Premium Bonds prizes from December 2022 to November 2023 worth over £72 million 

Two Agent Millions are kicking off the festive season in style with visits to the December Premium Bonds jackpot winners in York and Essex to tell them they have won the last two £1 million jackpots of the year.

In 2023, more than 63 million prizes worth over £4.6 billion have been drawn. Children shared in over one million Premium Bonds prizes from December 2022 to November 2023 worth over £72 million.

York 
The first winner is from York and has a holding of £49,976 in Premium Bonds. They purchased their winning Bond in December 2021 and become the eighteenth jackpot winner from Yorkshire.

In York, there are 7,827 prizes worth £226,900 that are yet to be claimed. The oldest unclaimed prize is worth £25 and is from the July 1970 draw. The largest unclaimed prize in York is worth £1,000 and there are six of them. They are between the October 1995 and May 2021 draws.

Essex 
The second Premium Bonds millionaire is based in Essex. The winner has £14,600 in Premium Bonds and purchased their winning Bond in March 2000. This win makes them the twenty-third millionaire from Essex.

In Essex, there are 55,559 unclaimed prizes with a total value of £1,659,975. The oldest unclaimed prize is worth £25 and is from the February 1964 draw. The largest unclaimed prize in Essex is worth £10,000 and there are two of them. They are from the December 2007 and March 2016 draws.

Andrew Westhead, NS&I Retail Director, said : 
“A very big well done and congratulations to this month’s millionaires from York and Essex. We hope they each enjoy their jackpot win from ERNIE, just in time to make this Christmas season extra special. It’s been a bumper year for Premium Bonds and we end 2023 with more than 63 million prizes drawn, worth over £4.6 billion."

December 2023 prize draw breakdown 
A total of 5,817,845 prizes worth £473,427,175 will be paid out in the December 2023 prize draw. There were over 122 billion Bond numbers eligible for the draw. Since the first draw in June 1957, ERNIE has drawn 660.4 million prizes with a total value of £28.7 billion.

Checking prizes 
Premium Bonds holders can check to see if they have won a prize in December’s prize draw from Saturday 2 December 2023. They can do this by using the nsandi.com prize checker, official prize checker app or their Alexa-enabled device. Customers will need their Premium Bonds holder’s number to use the website and their NS&I number or holder’s number to check via the prize checker app. At the same time, they can check for any unclaimed prizes owed to them.

Make savings easier with Premium Bonds 
Premium Bonds are one of the nation's most popular savings products. They are the perfect way to start a savings habit, with the minimum investment starting at £25. Premium Bonds customers can add to their Premium Bonds holding quickly and securely, both for themselves or a child, via bank transfer or online. By topping up regularly each month, customers are giving themselves further chances to win in the monthly Premium Bonds prize draws. Customers can find out how to make a bank transfer, pay online or set up a standing order into their Premium Bonds here .

Unclaimed prizes 
Premium Bonds prize winners are notified when they win a prize, but sometimes people move or change their contact details without letting NS&I know – this can lead to unclaimed prizes if they have opted to receive their prize by cheque.

The best way for customers to ensure they receive their prizes is to have them automatically paid directly into their bank account or reinvested into more Premium Bonds. More than nine in ten prizes are now paid this way as it is quicker and more secure than waiting for a cheque. Customers can find out how to change here . Customers that think they may have an unclaimed Premium Bonds prize can easily check by using NS&I’s online prize checker or the prize checker app.

Notes to editors

1. The first Bond number drawn was 481BJ590233 from York. The second Bond number drawn was 028FD335334 from Essex.
2. NS&I announced on 8 August 2023 that the Premium Bonds prize fund rate from the September 2023 draw would increase from 4.00% to 4.65%, with the odds improving from 22,000 to 1 to 21,000 to 1. Details of all the changes are here. 
3. NS&I has spokespeople available for interview, including Agent Million, as well as a wealth of national and regional facts and figures about Premium Bonds. If you require any further details, please contact the NS&I media team on the contact details below or tweet your question to @nsandi.
4. All Premium Bonds prizes are free of UK Income Tax and Capital Gains Tax.
5. NS&I is one of the largest savings organisations in the UK, offering a range of savings and investments to more than 24 million customers. All products offer 100% security as NS&I is backed by HM Treasury.
6. Further information on NS&I, including press releases and product information, is available on the website at nsandi.com. Follow us on Twitter/X: @nsandi or join the conversation on Facebook: NS&I.