Unclaimed Lottery Tickets: The rules and how to claim winnings

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In the UK, significant amounts of National Lottery winnings go unclaimed. Despite a six-month window to claim their prizes, some fortunate ticket holders haven't yet come forward.

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00:00Many of us dream of winning the National Lottery jackpot, but what if you've already won without

00:04even knowing it? I'm Alex Nelson, Jobs and Finance Specialist with National World,

00:09with everything you need to know. Shockingly, many National Lottery prizes go unclaimed,

00:15and despite having six months to claim their winnings, some lucky winners haven't yet come

00:19forward. You could even have a winning ticket stashed away in a wallet, purse, or saved in

00:25an online account. If you do find you are sitting on an unclaimed ticket, your winnings must be

00:30claimed within 180 days. That's about six months from the date of the original draw. If no claim

00:37is made within this period, the prize money and any interest earned is allocated to National

00:41Lottery projects across the UK. For prizes of £500 or less, you can claim in-store at a National

00:48Lottery retailer. That is, an authorised store or outlet where you can purchase lottery tickets,

00:54like a newsagent, supermarkets or petrol station, that are officially approved by the National

00:59Lottery to sell tickets. Winnings between £500 and £50,000 can be claimed online,

01:06but prizes over £50,000, including monthly set-for-life winnings, require you to call the

01:11National Lottery on 0333 234 5050 to confirm and arrange your claim. If your ticket is damaged or

01:19destroyed, fear not. You may still be able to claim, but you must file an appeal within 30 days

01:24of the draw date. For more details and information on how to claim, visit the National Lottery website.

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