Dozens of Sheffield estates remain unclaimed - could you inherit a fortune?

The research, undertaken by 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 interstate, and where no rightful heir has been found.

This means, Sheffield residents are among the most likely to start post-pandemic life with an inherited fortune they didn't know about.

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.

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.

Meanwhile, Sheffield's 54 unclaimed estates earned the city its first appearance on the index.

Philip Turvey, executive director at Anglia Research, said: “With COVID-19 restrictions being extended until July 19, it appears that the pandemic is going to rumble on longer than any 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 middleman between you and the opportunity to kiss your financial concerns goodbye.”

All data based on the list of unclaimed estates held by the Treasury Solicitor and the Bona Vacantia Division as of 7 June 2021