Press Release

JANUARY'S £1 MILLION JACKPOT WINNING NUMBERS

3 January 2006

1 million other tax-free prizes worth over £71m also awarded

Number 1 A woman living in LB of Tower Hamlets Bond number: 95WG363586 Bought in October 2002 Bond Value: £5,000 Total holdings: £30,000

Number 2 A woman living in Derbyshire Bond number: 57CF742961 Bought in March 1998 Bond Value: £2,000 Total holdings: £30,000

Invest in travel

The winner from the London Borough of Tower Hamlets - who has chosen to remain anonymous - said: "I can't believe it. I couldn't have had a better start to the New Year! I'm not sure what I'll do with the money yet. I've always wanted to travel so I might blow some of it on that and invest the rest.

"2006 certainly seems like its going to be a good year!"

Winner from Derbyshire

The winner from Derbyshire, who is also keeping their identity a closely-guarded secret, said: "Ever since the second Premium Bond jackpot I've had my fingers crossed I'd get my visit from Agent Million and now I have.

"I normally find January really depressing but this has certainly changed my mind. I'll be treating myself to get rid of the winter blues!"

The winners were told in person by NS&I's Agent Millions - M1 and M2 - the mystery people who pay a personal visit to the jackpot winners to give them the good news.

Regional facts

In London, over 2.8 million people own Premium Bonds worth approximately £3.6 billion. There are over 80,000 unclaimed prizes in the county, worth almost £5 million. This is the first time someone from the London Borough of Tower Hamlets has scooped the jackpot.

In Derbyshire, more than 300,000 people own Premium Bonds worth almost £370 million. There are over 3,700 unclaimed prizes in the area, worth more than £220,000. This is the second time a jackpot winner has been from the Derbyshire.

In January's draw ERNIE gave away over one million prizes worth approximately £73 million.

Number and value of prizes awarded in January 2006

• £1million - 2
• £100,000 - 6
• £50,000 - 13
• £25,000 - 25
• £10,000 - 63
• £5,000 - 126
• £1,000 - 1,759
• £500 - 5,277
• £100 - 61,062
• £50 - 1,153,874

Prize value

£73,332,400

Number of prizes

1,222,207

Premium Bond Facts

The Premium Bond prize fund rate is 3.00% tax-free, equivalent to 5.00% for a higher rate taxpayer and 3.75% for a basic rate taxpayer. The odds of winning are 24,000 to 1 and, with average luck, an investor with £30,000 in Premium Bonds can expect to win 15 tax-free prizes a year - more than one a month.

23 million people have more than £29 billion invested in Premium Bonds.

Premium Bonds can be bought online at www.nsandi.com, by telephone on 0500 007 007, by post and over the counter at Post Office® branches.

Like all NS&I products, Premium Bonds offer investors 100% security, backed by HM Treasury, as well as the sense of fun that comes from winning tax free prizes.

Since the first Premium Bonds prize draw in 1957, over 131 million tax-free prizes worth £8.32 billion have been given away. Prizes range from £50 to £1 million.

There is currently over £25 million in unclaimed prizes. There is no time limit on claiming prizes. Premium Bond investors can check to see if they have won by logging on to www.nsandi.com and using the Premium Bond prize checker.