Court Funds Office Unclaimed Balances Unclaimed Estates & Missing Inheritances

Estates of people who died intestate and without known kin are known as “Bona Vacantia”, and fall to the Crown if unclaimed for 30 years.

If you believe you may be entitled to assets owed deceased family members go to:  Unclaimed Estate Search.

There are various other kinds of Unclaimed Funds in Court, also called Estates in Chancery or Money in Chancery.

These include: monies paid in under civil litigation and other proceedings dealt with in County Courts and the High Court where no transaction has taken place for a period of 10 years (5 years before 1st December, 2000); awards of the Family Court; compensation from the Civil Injuries Compensation Board; compensation under Compulsory Purchase Acts, in cases where either the ownership of the property is unknown or the owner refuses to accept it; legacies, where missing heirs cannot be found; money lodged for dissenting shareholders; and the net proceeds of sale from mortgage foreclosures when the mortgagor cannot be traced.

The Court Funds Office also receives lodgments of money under County Court suitors’ actions (since 1983) and Queen’s Bench Division actions. If no transaction takes place for a specified period after the lodgment is made, the accounts become eligible for transfer to the dormant funds.

The Dormant Funds Index for all of the unclaimed balance cases can be searched at the public counter of the Court Funds Office. This service is free, with only a small fee for printouts.

You may also apply in writing  to the Chancery section of the Court Funds Office, and they will perform a search on your behalf. Write: Chancery/Family Section, Court Funds Office, 22 Kingsway, London WC2B 6LE.

In order to perform the search the Court Funds Office requires the following information:

  • The title of the Court proceedings.
  • The name of the Court.
  • The name(s) of the person(s) who lodged the money into Court.
  • For whose benefit the money was lodged.
  • Relevant dates.
  • The assumed link between you and any of the above.

Note: Court Fund Office records are confidential. They will not be disclosed to anyone who cannot produce evidence of beneficial interest. If a fund in the Index looks relevant to the claimant, the claimant must show evidence that they are entitled to all or part of the fund. The claimant must prove this to the satisfaction of the Court that dealt with the case (the Court of Origin).

The Court Funds Division cannot pay out any money from the fund until the Court of Origin makes an Order for payment. The main sources of evidence are: Orders of the High Court and County Courts, wills, probates and letters of administration; birth, marriage and death registers; and census returns.

Companies Court (including winding-up proceedings)
Companies Court,
Thomas More Building,
Royal Courts of Justice,
Strand,
London
WC2A 2LL
For England and Wales
The Treasury Solicitor (Bona Vacantia)

Queen Anne's Chambers
28 Broadway
London SW1H 9JS
If the deceased person lived in Cornwall
The Solicitor to the Duchy of Cornwall
10 Buckingham Gate
London SW1E 6LA
If the deceased person lived in Lancashire
The Solicitor to the Duchy of Lancaster
Lancaster Place
Strand
London WC2E 7ED
Scotland: Funds in Court - Enquiries concerning Scottish estates which have fallen to the Crown in default of heirs
The Queen's and Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer
Crown Office
25 Chambers Street
Edinburgh EH1 1LA.
Scotland: Enquiries concerning funds lodged in the Court of Session, and other unclaimed sums resulting from liquidations, bankruptcies, judicial factories, etc., are held (for seven years from the date of consignation)
The Accountant of Court
Parliament House
2 Parliament Square
Edinburgh EH1 1RF
Scotland: Other enquiries
The Keeper of the Records of Scotland
National Archives of Scotland
HM General Register House
Edinburgh EH1 3YY
Northern Ireland: Funds in Court - For funds lodged in Court in Northern Ireland since 1921
The Accountant General
Royal Courts of Justice
Chichester Street
Belfast
Ireland: For funds under the control of the Supreme Court and High Court of Justice
The Accountant General
The High Court of Justice
Dublin
For additional information and assistance
Court Funds Office - UB Section
22 Kingsway
London
WC2B 6LE

Tel: 0845 223 8500
Fax: 020 7947 7967

E-mail:

Search the database

Obtain a claims form

Request a search in writing to the Chancery Section

Trace Your Unclaimed Funds Now!