Heir hunters are urging the public to trace their family roots to see if they are owed thousands from deceased relatives they never even knew.
And researchers have identified the top towns and cities where the most windfalls could be handed out with Birmingham coming highest – with a whopping 187 estates unclaimed.
Those lucky enough to be a beneficiary could see a dramatic change to their post-pandemic life by inheriting a fortune and putting any financial worries behind them.
Probate genealogy firm, Anglia Research, more commonly known as “heir hunters”, has produced an index of the UK cities and boroughs where the most people have died intestate – and where no rightful heir has been found.
Using the Government’s official Bona Vacantia List (Latin for vacant or unclaimed goods), Anglia Research found Birmingham has a staggering 187 unclaimed estates, over 50 more than Camden which was in second place, reports The Mirror.
With each estate being potentially worth thousands, some Birmingham residents could be set to inherit a substantial sum of money from a family member they didn’t know they were related to.
The top three locations – Birmingham, Camden and Leeds – remain unchanged from the last quarter, but Lambeth, which has ranked fourth last quarter, has dropped to thirteenth after the number of unclaimed estates in the borough dropped to 54.
Nearly half of the top fifteen locations are in London, with Paddington and Southall making their first appearance in the index, with 51 and 54 unclaimed estates, respectively. While Sheffield’s 54 unclaimed estates earned the city its first appearance on the index.
Commenting on the Unclaimed Estates Index, Philip Turvey, executive director at Anglia Research, said: “With COVID-19 restrictions being extended until 19th July, it appears that the pandemic is going to rumble on longer than anyone of us want. With that in mind, I urge anyone living in any of the areas listed in our index to investigate their family tree, look at the official Bona Vacantia list, and see if they are the rightful beneficiary of one of the thousands of unclaimed estates.
“They could be unknowingly sitting on a goldmine which could completely transform their lives. Likewise, don’t immediately reject a phone call or ignore a letter from a probate genealogist, they could be the middle man between you and the opportunity to kiss your financial concerns goodbye.”
For funeral notices in your area visit funeral-notices.co.uk
Top places for unclaimed states
1 Birmingham – 187
2 Camden – 131
3 Leeds – 122
4 Bradford – 76
5 Lewisham – 71
6 Nottingham – 69
7 Leicester – 69
8 Southampton – 62
9 Croydon – 58
10 Hammersmith – 57
11 Southall – 54
12 Sheffield – 54
13 Lambert – 54
14 Bristol – 52
15 Paddington – 41
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