Premium bond winners losing out on £47m: Number who have failed to claim passes one million including £25 prize from 1957 

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The number of people who have failed to claim premium bond prizes has broken the one million barrier.

More than £47million is waiting for winners unaware they’ve won a cash prize. 

Three bondholders have scooped £100,000, four have won £50,000, there are three lots of £25,000 to be claimed and 19 of £10,000. 

More than £47million in premium bond prizes is waiting for winners who are unaware they've won a cash prize to collect 

The oldest unclaimed prize dates back to 1957, a year after the bonds were introduced by Tory Prime Minister Harold Macmillan – it was won by a Yorkshireman who scooped £25.

There is no time limit on claiming, so more recent £100,000 winners – a London woman in 2007 and a Manchester woman in 2010 – could still discover their good luck.

An NS&I spokesman said people can forget bonds have been bought for them as a child, or forget to update their address when they move house.

The average payout is a not-very-life-changing sum of just under £50.

Have I won? See November's winning numbers here.

Three bondholders have scooped £100,000, four have won £50,000, there are three lots of £25,000 to be claimed and 19 of £10,000. (File picture of a woman celebrating)