The 5 Free Searches for Lost Money in the UK

Five free searches cover most of the places where money can lose touch with its owner in the UK: bank and building society accounts, Premium Bonds prizes, pensions, investments and unclaimed estates. Each one is run by the body that holds or oversees the records. According to NS&I (press release PR260901, September 2026), 2,851,753 Premium Bonds prizes worth £126,787,100 were unclaimed at that point. Results depend on the records each provider holds.

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This is an independent information site, not affiliated with NS&I, GOV.UK or any bank. Each service sets its own rules.

Step 1: Old bank, building society or NS&I accounts on My Lost Account

My Lost Account is run jointly by UK Finance, the Building Societies Association (BSA) and NS&I, and covers banks, building societies and NS&I. The process has three parts: create a profile online, fill in the search form, then wait for the result by email or by letter. The service states: “There is no need to pay a fee.”

Step 2: Premium Bonds prizes on the NS&I prize checker

The prize checker at nsandi.com/prize-checker, also available in the NS&I app, works with the holder’s number. People without the number can use the link “Don’t know your holder’s number?” on the same page. NS&I counts a prize as potentially unclaimed after more than 18 months (PR260901, September 2026).

For lost Premium Bonds or other NS&I savings, the NS&I Tracing Service is free. Requests go through My Lost Account or by post to Tracing Service, NS&I, Sunderland SR43 2SB. NS&I says it aims to confirm within one month.

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Step 3: Old workplace or personal pensions on GOV.UK

The Find pension contact details service on GOV.UK is free and needs the name of the former employer or the pension provider. It returns the contact details of the scheme. The pension service gives contact details, not the value of a pension: it does not say whether a pension exists or how much it is worth, so the next contact is the scheme itself.

The Pension Tracing Service also answers by phone on 0800 731 0175, Monday to Friday, 10am to 3pm, and by post at The Pension Service, Post Handling Site A, Wolverhampton, WV98 1AF.

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Step 4: Lost investments, pensions and savings on the Unclaimed Assets Portal

The Unclaimed Assets Portal is run by the Investment Association and powered by Gretel. A person registers once and the portal compares the details with records held by participating firms. It is free to use, and the Investment Association reports “over £3bn made available by IA member firms” (theia.org, 2026).

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Step 5: A relative who died without a will on the unclaimed estates list

When someone dies without a will and no known heir, the estate may appear on the unclaimed estates list published by Bona Vacantia on GOV.UK. The process has three steps: check whether the estate is on the list, check whether the person searching is a relative entitled to inherit, then make the request. In some cases a person who lived with or cared for the deceased may be able to apply for a grant instead.

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What to have ready before searching

Each service asks for different details. The checklist below gathers what NS&I, My Lost Account and GOV.UK say they need.

Key figures with source and year

Where to search: websites, phone and post

• Bank, building society and NS&I accounts: My Lost Account, mylostaccount.org.uk
• Premium Bonds prizes: nsandi.com/prize-checker, or by post to Tracing Service, NS&I, Sunderland SR43 2SB
• Pensions: gov.uk/find-pension-contact-details, phone 0800 731 0175 (Monday to Friday, 10am to 3pm), or by post to The Pension Service, Post Handling Site A, Wolverhampton, WV98 1AF
• Investments: theia.org/unclaimedassets
• Unclaimed estates: gov.uk/unclaimed-estates-bona-vacantia

Deadlines and response times

No final deadline to claim has been confirmed in the sources used for this guide. GOV.UK states that money from an account transferred to the Dormant Assets Scheme can be reclaimed at any time (page updated 3 June 2025). NS&I aims to reply to tracing requests within one month. No response time is confirmed for the other services.

If none of the five searches fits

• Bank or provider still known: contact the institution that held the money directly, which GOV.UK gives as the first step.
• Life insurance or a pension held with an insurer: the guide from the Association of British Insurers, which GOV.UK refers to.
• Overpaid tax on wages, a pension or savings interest: the “Claim a tax refund” tool on GOV.UK, which shows the route but does not make the claim.
• Shares: the company that issued them, as GOV.UK advises.

Sources

Independent information site, not affiliated with NS&I, GOV.UK or any bank. This guide does not give pension or investment advice. Sources: NS&I press release PR260901 (September 2026); NS&I Premium Bonds prize checker (2026); NS&I, Tracking down lost savings (2026); My Lost Account (2026); Building Societies Association, Lost a savings account? (18 November 2025); GOV.UK, Find pension contact details (2026); Investment Association, Unclaimed Assets Portal (2026); GOV.UK, The Dormant Assets Scheme (updated 3 June 2025); GOV.UK, Unclaimed estates (Bona Vacantia) (2026); GOV.UK, Claim a tax refund (2026).