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Press release1 IN 6 SOUTH EAST SAVERS LOSE TOUCH WITH THEIR SAVINGS PROVIDERS WHEN THEY MOVE16 May 2002£2.2 million in unclaimed Premium Bonds prizes to be claimed in the South East A survey commissioned by National Savings and Investments has revealed that those in the South East are below the national average at keeping in touch with their savings providers when they move home; with 1 in 6 (16%) forgetting to give their new address to all their financial providers. People in South West England have the poorest record. The survey showed that nationally 1 in 7 (14%) of those who move home do not give their new address to all their financial providers. With 13% of people moving home each year, more and more of Britain's savers are losing touch with their money. (Full table in Annex 1). In November 2001, National Savings and Investments launched a free of charge Tracing Service for its customers to help re-unite them with lost and forgotten accounts, bonds and unclaimed Premium Bond prizes. So far, over £2 million has been traced from 1,855 successful searches but there is still more to be claimed by those living in the East Midlands. For example, in Premium Bonds alone there are 39,647 unclaimed prizes worth almost £2.2 million still to be claimed. This includes two prizes of £5,000 and 73 prizes of £1,000. Customers are able to use the one-stop service to trace their dormant National Savings and Investments by completing one simple form and sending it to one central point.
Gill Cattanach, Commercial Director, National Savings and Investments said: This sets financial providers like National Savings and Investments a real challenge to make it easy for people to re-unite themselves with their savings. Our Tracing Service has proved to be a popular way of doing this and we want people in the South East to use it more. Customers can be assured that any lost or forgotten savings will remain 100% secure and held indefinitely until a claim for them is lodged." ENDS ANNEX 1
Notes to editors 1. The National Savings and Investments survey was conducted via phone bus survey by Taylor Nelson Sofres between 19 April and 21 April 2002. The sample size was 1002 adults. 2. Figures about the percentage of people that move home was taken from the 2002 National Statistics Social Trends which derived statistics from the 2000-2001 Survey of English Housing. 3. To initiate a trace, customers should use the Tracing Service request form which can be obtained by:- Telephone: National Savings and Investments Customer Enquiries 0845 964 5000 Lines open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Calls charged at local rate. Post: E-Mail: Website: Customers must then fill in the request form and provide as much information as possible including former addresses, the products they believe they have and any other relevant information. The completed form should be sent to the Freepost address provided. Customers will then receive an acknowledgement and can expect to be notified of any potential holding within one month. 4. Case studies are available on request. 5. Interviews with National Savings and Investments spokespeople including Gill Cattanach are available. 6. For further information, a copy of the Tracing Service leaflet, to source a case study arrange an interview, contact:-
Media team The numbers below are for media use only. Customers wishing to contact NS&I can find details here.
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