People's Postcode Lottery is a monthly subscription to society lotteries managed by Postcode Lottery Limited. Your playing postcode, accepted ticket and covered draw matter—not merely where you live or whether a payment mandate exists. When moving or cancelling, obtain the effective change date and first or last participating draw, as appropriate.
Which product and eligibility rules apply?
The rules effective from 1 July 2026 describe a GB product for people aged 18 or older whose main residence is in Great Britain. Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and residences elsewhere are excluded. Other exclusions also apply; this is not a worldwide availability claim.
A ticket contains a playing postcode and a unique three-digit identifier. The subscription price is £12.50 monthly per ticket, covering that month's draws. Only paid-for tickets in the relevant draw can win. The rules limit an individual's tickets per draw to six and impose a prize limit linked to draw proceeds per winning ticket. Shared prizes have their own allocation rules; a headline pool is not necessarily your ticket's award.
This is a review of published documents. We have not opened an account, bought a subscription, tested prizes or independently checked the licence register. The wider charity and postcode lottery comparison explains why this product differs from an international ticket service.
Does changing your address change your playing postcode?
The account-changes FAQ separates correspondence details from the playing postcode. You may play a postcode different from your home address. My Account registration is also separate from signing up for a ticket.
Treat a house move as several possible changes, not one automatic update:
| Record | What to confirm |
|---|---|
| Main residence and correspondence address | The address held for eligibility and communications is current. |
| Playing postcode | The postcode actually recorded on each ticket. |
| Requested postcode change | Receipt of the request and whether further information is needed. |
| Effective participation | The first draw using the amended ticket, not just the request date. |
| Other subscriptions | Whether an old-postcode ticket remains active separately. |
A requested change takes effect when the operator has the required information and changes your playing ticket. The rules do not guarantee the next round. The July rules separately address an invalid postcode: replacement is normally for the next round, or the following round if necessary; the old code remains in the round until replacement. Do not assume that this process and a voluntary move request are identical.
For a practical example, suppose you move on Monday and submit new contact details. That establishes a request, not a new winning postcode for Wednesday. Keep the old ticket reference and ask which postcode the accepted entry uses for the next covered draw.
Why might two payments appear close together?
The draws-and-payments FAQ, read on 6 October 2026, says tickets are paid in advance. Payments for the first two months can occur close together; multiple tickets can also use separate Direct Debit mandates. The first participating draw is given in the subscription confirmation.
Two £12.50 collections therefore need interpretation. They could concern two months for one ticket rather than two tickets for one month. Match each collection to its ticket reference and covered month before calling it duplicate billing. For comparison, two tickets at the published monthly price mean a £25 monthly commitment, without implying twice as many draw dates.
A mandate authorises collection; it does not prove cleared payment or accepted entry. The rules require cleared funds before entry. If collection fails or remains uncertain, establish the payment status and included draw with support. Our failed or pending lottery payment guide helps organise that evidence.
Is cancellation receipt the last draw date?
The account-changes FAQ describes a cancellation form or phone route. The rules distinguish a request from its effect: payment already collected or requested can mean the next round remains paid and entered, with cancellation applying to the following round. Unused collected payments are treated differently when cancellation prevents entry.
Keep the receipt, but also obtain the final participating draw and the status of each subscription. If reducing several tickets to one, identify the ticket being cancelled rather than relying only on a combined bank total. A confirmation that a request arrived is not confirmation that every ticket has stopped. See cancelling subscriptions versus closing accounts.
Where will prize money go?
The rules distinguish a Direct Debit funding account from validated prize-bank details for other payment methods. Large prizes can require a verified bank account and identity checks. Updating a payment card and registering a prize-payment account are not necessarily the same action.
The winning-cash FAQ contains an unresolved inconsistency. For non-Direct Debit players without registered bank details, one section requires bank registration for more than £15 per subscription; another says more than £3,000 per subscription. We cannot select one threshold as the applicable rule. Both mention providing bank information within six months; the rules also contain claim deadlines. Its quoted 28-day payment period is operator guidance, not a payout we tested or guarantee we can make.
Ask the operator to confirm the applicable route for your payment method and amount, using its official contact channel. Record the response, required documents, verified destination and deadline. A ticket number, a collection and a win notification answer different questions; keeping them connected makes postcode changes, cancellation and claims easier to resolve.