List of 91 unclaimed estates in Leeds you could inherit if you have one of these surnames - how to claim

By Chelsie Sewell

Published 1st Jun 2023, 17:08 BST

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The Treasury has published the list of unclaimed estates in Leeds you could inherit this month if you have one of these surnames

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

When this happens, the deceased’s property will become ‘ownerless property’ and will be put in the 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 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.

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

If you are, for example, a first cousin of the deceased, you would only be entitled to share in the estate if there are no relatives above you in the order of entitlement, for example, a niece or nephew.

The Treasury has released a list of all of the unclaimed estates in Leeds

The Treasury has released a list of all of the unclaimed estates in Leeds

How to claim an unclaimed estate

Anyone who believes they might be entitled to a share of an unclaimed estate should contact The Treasury on the government website.

Surnames of the unclaimed properties in Leeds

Leeds Property Money

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