FindMyLegacyis a free tool to search the UK Government's Bona Vacantia list of unclaimed estates — phonetic surname matching, email alerts, and an AI assistant to guide your research.
Data-driven analysis of the UK Bona Vacantia list — unclaimed estate trends, regional breakdowns, and insights to help you understand the landscape before you search.
15 June 2026 · 10 min read
Worried you might be owed an unclaimed inheritance? Learn how to check the free UK register, see if you're entitled, and spot the scams — in plain English.
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29 May 2026 · 6 min read
There are 303 unclaimed estates in Surrey on the Bona Vacantia list. Find out if you could be entitled to claim one — free search on FindMyLegacy.
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27 May 2026 · 6 min read
There are 129 unclaimed estates in East Sussex on the Bona Vacantia list. Find out if you could be entitled to claim one — free search on FindMyLegacy.
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27 May 2026 · 6 min read
There are 83 unclaimed estates in West Sussex on the Bona Vacantia list. Find out if you could be entitled to claim one — free search on FindMyLegacy.
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27 May 2026 · 6 min read
There are 219 unclaimed estates in Essex on the Bona Vacantia list. Find out if you could be entitled to claim one — free search on FindMyLegacy.
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24 May 2026 · 9 min read
The "heir hunters list" is the free Bona Vacantia register of UK unclaimed estates. Here is what is on it, who can claim, and how to search it yourself without paying commission.
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23 May 2026 · 12 min read
The law of intestacy determines who inherits when someone dies without a will. Here is the full order of priority, who is excluded, and what happens when no heir comes forward.
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22 May 2026 · 10 min read
Thousands of UK estates sit unclaimed on the government list. If a relative died without a will, you could be owed inheritance you don't know about. Here's how to find it.
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22 May 2026 · 5 min read
Bona vacantia — Latin for "ownerless goods" — is how estates pass to the Crown when no heir comes forward. Here is what it means, who manages it, and how to claim.
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21 May 2026 · 9 min read
Over 5,700 unclaimed estates worth an estimated £1.6 billion are sitting on the UK government list. Here is what they are, who can claim, how the 30-year rule works, and how to search for free.
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21 May 2026 · 7 min read
Use the free Government Probate Search service to find a grant of probate in minutes. Records go back to 1858. A digital copy costs £1.50. Here is everything you need — how to search, what the grant contains, and what happens when none was ever issued.
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20 May 2026 · 7 min read
Order a UK marriage certificate online from the General Register Office for £12.50 — delivered in around 4 days. Here is what information you need, the fees, what a certificate contains, and how to search records back to 1837.
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20 May 2026 · 6 min read
Yes — a will becomes a public document once probate is granted. Anyone can order a copy for £1.50. Here is when wills enter the public record, when they stay private, and how to search them.
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19 May 2026 · 7 min read
Six steps to find out whether someone left a will — from checking with family and their solicitor to searching the National Will Register and probate records online.
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19 May 2026 · 6 min read
Use this step-by-step intestacy rules flowchart to find out exactly who inherits when someone dies without a will in England and Wales — from spouse to Crown.
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18 May 2026 · 6 min read
A Gazette deceased estates notice tells creditors and heirs to come forward before an estate is distributed. Here's what they contain, why executors publish them, and how to search them.
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18 May 2026 · 7 min read
Looking for a will after someone has died? Here are all six places to check — from personal papers at home to the National Will Register and the Probate Registry — plus what to do if no will can be found.
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18 May 2026 · 8 min read
Entitled to a share of an estate but unsure how to claim it? From Inheritance Act 1975 challenges to intestacy entitlement and unclaimed bona vacantia estates — here is the complete guide to making a legal claim on an estate in the UK.
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11 May 2026 · 6 min read
UK marriage records are public and searchable from 1837 via the GRO, and from 1538 via parish registers. Here is how to find a marriage record online — free resources, what a certificate contains, and how marriage records connect to unclaimed estate claims.
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11 May 2026 · 7 min read
From the GRO death register to death notices, The Gazette, and Deceased Online — here are the most reliable ways to find out if someone has died in the UK, what records are available, and what to do if you find they left an unclaimed estate.
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11 May 2026 · 6 min read
UK birth records for England and Wales are held by the General Register Office (GRO) from 1 July 1837. Search the index free, order a certified certificate for £11, or use free resources like FreeBMD — plus how birth certificates support an unclaimed estate claim.
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11 May 2026 · 5 min read
To check if probate has been granted in England and Wales, search probatesearch.service.gov.uk — it is free, takes minutes, and anyone can use it. Here is exactly what to do, what the results tell you, and what to do if probate has not been applied for.
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11 May 2026 · 5 min read
Once probate is granted, a will becomes a public document. Anyone can order a copy from the Probate Registry at probatesearch.service.gov.uk for £1.50 — no proof of relationship required. Here is the complete step-by-step guide.
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11 May 2026 · 6 min read
To obtain a death certificate in the UK, a qualified person must register the death at a local register office — within 5 days in England and Wales. Certified copies cost £11 each and can be ordered in person, online via the GRO, or by post.
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10 May 2026 · 5 min read
You can track a probate application online via MyHMCTS, by phone on 0300 303 0648, or by email. Here is exactly how to check your status, what causes delays, and what happens when an estate goes unclaimed.
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10 May 2026 · 7 min read
A grant of representation is the legal authority to administer a deceased person's estate. Here is what it means, the three types, when you need one, how to apply — and what happens when nobody does.
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9 May 2026
The bona vacantia list is the UK government's official register of unclaimed estates — property left by people who died without a will and without known relatives. Here is everything you need to know about searching it and making a claim.
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9 May 2026
When someone dies intestate in England and Wales, the Rules of Intestacy determine who inherits — not the deceased's wishes. Here is exactly who gets what, who gets nothing, and what happens when no qualifying relative can be found.
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8 May 2026 · 7 min read
If someone you are related to died without a will and without known family, their estate may be sitting on the Bona Vacantia list. Here is exactly how to make an inheritance claim — step by step, for free.
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3 May 2026
A guide to using AI in researching your family tree.
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29 April 2026 · 6 min read
When someone dies intestate with no known relatives, their estate passes to the Crown as bona vacantia. Here is exactly what that process looks like — and how distant relatives can still claim.
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29 April 2026 · 5 min read
Heir hunters charge 15–40% commission to find relatives of people who died intestate. But the list they use is public — and free to search yourself. Here is what you need to know.
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15 April 2026 · 3 min read
A data-driven look at where unclaimed estates are concentrated across England and Wales, based on the current Bona Vacantia list.
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15 April 2026 · 4 min read
An analysis of the surnames that appear most frequently on the Government Legal Department's Bona Vacantia list — and what that means for potential claimants.
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15 April 2026 · 3 min read
Looking at the years of death recorded on the current unclaimed estates list — how far back the oldest entries go, and why some claims are more urgent than others.
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All data in these articles is drawn live from the UK Government Legal Department Bona Vacantia list as held in the FindMyLegacy database.