A Premium Bonds customer encountered an issue when trying to buy more Bonds, despite being well under the £50,000 holding limit. Upon contacting NS&I, the customer learned that the system had mistakenly reduced their maximum holding limit due to an attempted deposit that was not completed.
The NS&I representative explained that the headroom, which represents the amount available for investment, changes even if the payment does not go through. The customer was advised that their headroom would revert back to its normal level within a couple of days.
This incident highlights the importance of ensuring that the correct amount is entered when purchasing Premium Bonds, as even unsuccessful deposits can affect the holding limit. Additionally, customers are reminded that the minimum purchase amount for Premium Bonds is £25, and any amount below that will be automatically bounced back to the customer’s bank account.