Hi had myself worried for a while.checked with bond site and if you die monies to go next of kin.phew.
Yes we recently got the face value returned to us upon request after the MIL passed away a couple of years ago.
I was impressed with their online service as they let my wife adopt two very good income bonds (a heady old 2.55%

) that I had arranged for the MIL a while back and still had a couple of years run time, it was a seamless operation.