List of unclaimed estates in London you could inherit if you have these surnames - how to claim

By Charlotte Hawes

Published 3rd Mar 2023, 14:30 BST

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The Treasury has published the March list of unclaimed estates in London which you could inherit if you have a matching surname.

If you have one of these surnames you could be in line to inherit as the Treasury has released its list of unclaimed estates in London. An unclaimed estate is when someone passes away without having an effective will in place, and no family comes forward to claim their estate.

When this happens, the deceased’s property will become ‘ownerless property’ and will be in possession of the Crown. However, within a 12-year period from when the Crown possesses the estate, family members can come forward if they believe they are entitled to a share of the deceased’s relative’s property.

For unclaimed estates before 1997, the Treasury will allow claims up to 30 years from the date of the person’s death, subject to no interest being paid on the money that is held - if the claim is received after the 12-year period has ended.

So, which surname could mean you are entitled to an unclaimed estate? Here’s the full official list of London unclaimed estates.

Who is entitled to an unclaimed estate?

If someone dies without leaving a valid or effective will the following relatives are entitled to the estate in the order shown below:

1.Husband, wife or civil partner

2. children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and so on

3. Mother or father

4. Brothers or sisters who share both the same mother and father, or their children (nieces and nephews)

5. Half brothers or sisters or their children (nieces and nephews of the half blood or their children). ‘Half ’ means they share only one parent with the deceased

6. Grandparents

7. Uncles and aunts or their children (first cousins or their descendants)

8. Half uncles and aunts or their children (first cousins of the half blood or their children). ‘Half’ means they only share one grandparent with the deceased, not both

Cousins can claim an estate if there is no one above them in the order of relatives.

Which borough in London has the most unclaimed estates?

The list of unclaimed estates in London have been released

The list of unclaimed estates in London have been released

In London, Lambeth is the borough with the most unclaimed estates, with 89. Here’s a list of the surnames with unclaimed estates in March:

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