By Ebi Kesiena
The United Kingdom government has released an updated list of individuals who passed away in the UK with unclaimed estates, including several Nigerians. The list, published on Monday, reveals that 5,806 deceased individuals from various nationalities left behind assets with no identified heirs.
According to information from the UK government, unclaimed estates are handled by the Bona Vacantia Division (BVD) of the Government Legal Department. If no rightful heirs come forward within 30 years from the date of death, the estate is removed from the list.
The list is updated daily, with new estates appearing at the top before being arranged alphabetically. Estates are removed when a valid claim is accepted or when they exceed the 30-year time limit.
To make a claim, potential heirs must provide proof of their relationship to the deceased. Under UK inheritance laws, estates are distributed in a specific order of priority:
Spouse or civil partner, children, grandchildren, and direct descendants, parents, full siblings and their children (nieces and nephews), half-siblings and their children, grandparents, uncles, aunts, and first cousins, half-uncles, half-aunts, and their children (first cousins of the half-blood)
If no closer relatives exist, more distant family members may be eligible to inherit.
What to Do If You Have a Claim
Meanwhile, the BVD explained that individuals who believe they are entitled to an estate must submit legal proof of their relationship. However, claims are only valid if no closer relatives are found.
The UK government continues to encourage potential heirs, including Nigerians, to check the list and step forward to claim any rightful inheritance before estates become permanently forfeited.
