Unclaimed Estates in Manchester

Six individuals have died in the Greater Manchester area in 2018 have left behind an Unclaimed Inheritance. Three of the 6 people are known to have also been born in the region. If you recognise any of the names below you could be entitled to claim on the estate left behind.

When a person dies in the UK without leaving a known will or close family their estate passes to the crown to protect until a rightful heir can be found. Estates generally include money, personal possessions and buildings such as their home at the time of their death, however, their estate can include any assets belonging to the person. When the crown receives the estate it is added to the Bona Vacantia or Unclaimed Estates List. Bona Vacantia is a Latin term which when translated to English literally means “goods without a known owner.”

Once on the Unclaimed Estates List rightful relatives are able to come forward and provide evidence as to the legitimacy of their claim on the estate. If there is no will, a spouse or civil partner, and then any children of the deceased, have the first claim to the estate. If none of these exists, anyone descended from a grandparent of the person is entitled to a share of the estate.

Manchester Unclaimed Inheritance

The six people to die in Greater Manchester this year, and have their estates declared “bona vacantia”, include:

• David Simpson - Died in Stockport in January. He was 64 when he died.

• Clifford Hough - Died in Ashton-under-Lyne in January. He was 78 when he died.

• John Porter - Died in Stalybridge in February at the age of 74.

• Raymond Alfred Pythian - Died in Stockport in March at the age of 85.

• Menvil Dowell - Died in Trafford in March. He was a widower was aged 69.

• Alan Edwards - Died in Hyde in June. He was born in Cheshire and was 88.

Across England and Wales, 235 people have already died in 2018 leaving an unclaimed inheritance behind them. There is usually a limit of 12 years to claim on an estate however, this can be extended in certain circumstances to 30 years.

This article was originally posted in the Manchester Evening News.