Overview
- NS&I will lower the Premium Bonds prize‑fund rate to 3.30% from 3.60% starting with the April 2026 draw.
- The odds of a win for each £1 bond number will lengthen from roughly 22,000‑to‑1 to about 23,000‑to‑1.
- April’s prize pot is expected at about £375 million with close to six million tax‑free prizes, with fewer higher‑value awards and more £25 payouts.
- Analysts estimate a £10,000 holding’s average annual prizes will drop from around £360 to about £330, and they advise modest holders to weigh interest‑paying accounts as many savers have never won.
- Government documents set a higher NS&I funding target of roughly £15 billion for the next financial year, with CEO Dax Harkins saying pricing will be designed to meet that goal.