Treasury reveals 235 unclaimed estates in Essex

There are currently 235 estates across the region which have passed to the Crown as ‘ownerless property'.

This happens when a person dies without leaving a will and there are no apparent family members to claim the inheritance.

In general, estates held on the list can be claimed within a 12-year deadline, from the date the estate was taken into possession of the Crown.

Estates can be held for up to 12 years by the Treasury (Image: Canva)

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

The list of unclaimed estates is updated and published daily on the Government’s website.

You could be entitled to a share of a deceased relative’s property – simply type in your name below to see if you are sitting on a fortune:

Unclaimed estates in Essex linked to place of death

Unclaimed estates in Essex linked to place of birth

On top of the 214 unclaimed estates left by those who died in Essex there are also 21 estates left by those who were born in Essex but who passed away elsewhere.

Who is entitled to an unclaimed estate?

If someone dies without leaving a valid or effective will, the following relations 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.