2 Premium Bonds questions.

Rusty190

I hold a few premium bonds, as does my late husband.
I want to increase my holding to the maximum allowed (£50,000 I believe).
I have the old paper certificates and can tell from the post office location stamps, which are his and which are mine, with the exception of 1 of them - could be either of us.
How can I find out to whom this certificate belongs or, can I just apply for the top up and they'll just send the difference back to me if I'm slightly over the allowance?

Also, I understand my late husband's bonds can remain in the draw for up to 12 months after his death.
As his sole beneficiary, would his bonds now be considered part of my allowance or are they a separate?
If by some remote chance they were to win a prize, would this be paid out if I was at the maximum allowance? 

MX5huggy

Sorry for your loss. Create an online account with NS&I for your bonds and all will become clear. 

Some of advice here :- https://www.nsandi.com/help/manage-money-for-others/customers-who-have-died

Albermarle

Another tip is that you will be given a choice, whether any prizes should be sent as cash to your bank account, or reinvested to buy more bonds. If you go with the second option that you should not invest the whole £50K and leave some room for the new bonds. On average you should win around £650 a year. ( approx 1.3% of £50K) 

P1Fanatic

I don't think you can transfer them to yourself. You can cash them in and use that to top up your own although it depends on the amount in your husbands name. Normally if over £5000 total (all NS&I products not just Premium bonds) then you need to provide Proof of Probate although some on here have apparently claimed funds up to £10k without probate so its worth informing them and see what there response was. My dad recently needed Probate for my mums but she had full allowance of Premium Bonds. Once it was confirmed any prizes owed were paid by cheque and any new wins were paid by bank transfer to my dad.

I would say if combining yours and your husbands would hit £50k or you expect it to in the next 12 months then leave them in his name. If not then cash in and top yours up as all under one holder.