Ever wondered if you’re sitting on a potential windfall? Well, if you have an Irish surname, you might just be in for a pleasant surprise. Hundreds of unclaimed estates in England and Wales are sitting without the rightful heir coming forward, and this estate could have your name on them.
When someone dies without a will, their estate is taken care of by the government, waiting for an heir to come forward. If no one claims it, the government eventually takes over. But in the UK, you’ve got up to 12 years to claim the financial part of an estate and up to 30 years for other assets, and whilst it’s incredibly unlikely to be linked with you it very well could be and whilst you likely would be hearing about the passing of a long lost relative, there might be some money heading your way and it would be only right that goes to a true heir and not the taxman.
Who’s in Line for Inheritance?
If you have one of these Irish surnames, you could be in line for a fortune. To find out, we’ve posted the most up to date list below but failing that head over to unclaimedestates.ie. This site is dedicated to helping rightful heirs inherit what’s theirs. Here’s what they have to say:
“Each year many people die intestate (without leaving a will). Often the deceased’s next of kin are unknown and the estate is eventually passed to the Government Legal Dept, Bona Vacantia Estates and released on the Bona Vacantia list in the hope that an heir or heirs to the estate will come forward.”
Right now, there are over 340 names of Irish-born individuals who passed away in England or Wales, leaving behind unclaimed estates.
Check Your Surname
Curious to see if your name is on the list? Dive into the full list of names below and see if you’re one of the lucky potential heirs. Don’t miss out on what could be a life-changing inheritance!
Does this money get claimed?
That’s hard to confirm but an Irish Mirror article from 2023 showed the list at the time with 771 names on it, today in 2024 the list only has 341 names on it now that could mean the 12 year period is simply up now or it could mean someone has claimed.
You can see the full list of names below:
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