List of unclaimed estates in Scarborough and Whitby that you could inherit if you have these surnames - how to claim

The published list of nine unclaimed estates in Scarborough and Whitby means that someone with a corresponding surname could be eligible to claim a payout. All estates on the list are currently ‘ownerless’ since no member of the family has ever come forward to claim it.

An unclaimed estate is created when a person passes away without a sufficient will and no family member comes forward to claim. The deceased person’s property is then designated as ‘ownerless’ and remains in possession of the Crown.

However, within a 12 years from when the Crown possesses the estate, family members can come forward if they believe they are entitled to a share of the deceased’s relative’s property.

For unclaimed estates before 1997, the Treasury will allow claims up to 30 years from the date of the person’s death, subject to no interest being paid on the money that is held – if the claim is received after the 12-year period has ended.

Who is entitled to an unclaimed estate?

If someone dies without leaving a valid or effective will the following relatives are entitled to the estate in the order shown below:

Husband, wife or civil partner

Children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and so on

Mother or father

Brothers or sisters who share both the same mother and father, or their children (nieces and nephews)

Half brothers or sister or their children (nieces and nephews of the half blood or their children). ‘Half’ means they share only one parent with the deceased

Grandparents

Uncles and aunts or their children (first cousins or their descendants)

Half uncles and aunts or their children (first cousins of the half blood or their children). ‘Half’ means they only share one grandparent with the deceased, not both

Cousins of the deceased are entitled to share in an estate if there are no living relatives above them in the order of entitlement.

Surnames of the unclaimed properties in Scarborough

Catsourides

Gibbs

Hancock

Hunt

James

Lighting

Middleton

Ogden

Surname of the unclaimed property in Whitby

Coltart

How to claim an unclaimed estate

Anyone who believes they might be entitled to a share of an unclaimed estate should contact the Treasury on the Government website.