Could it be you? Hunt is on for Irish heirs of GB£10m emigrant windfall

Hundreds of Irish people could be in for a substantial surprise windfall, according to the British Treasury.

Millions of euro in unclaimed estates have been logged in the Treasury's probate books – and now dozens of private specialists are trying to track down Irish heirs to the forgotten fortunes.

The hunt is on for the extended families of hundreds of Irish people who died in Britain with no obvious next-of-kin. Among the popular surnames on probate research firm Fraser & Fraser's list are Connolly, Kelly, Fitzgerald, Murphy and O’Neill. The London-based company says its three specialist Irish teams currently deal with three cases a week.

It estimates that Irish people account for almost 10 per cent of all intestate death cases on their books, meaning that hundreds of Irish people could stand to inherit some GB£10m (€11.8m) in unclaimed estates.

Most of these windfalls were left by childless Irish emigrants who died in England and Wales with no known family and without making a will. 

In Britain, estates of those who die with no obvious next-of-kin automatically default to the Government – some 2,000 cases each year are referred to the Treasury Solicitor’s Department.

According to the Irish Post newspaper, one of the largest cases that Fraser & Fraser dealt with was that of an Irish women who left an estate in London, valued at almost €2m.

In another, Co Mayo man Michael Moran, who died in London aged 84, left an estate of GB£300,000 (€354,000). Using parish records, Mr Moran’s heirs in Ireland were found and his estate was distributed.

Fraser & Fraser draw their case list from the Bona Vacantia list, within the Treasury Solicitor’s Department, which holds more than 10,500 unclaimed estates.

The list is updated weekly with solvent estates of GB£500 (€590) or more — however no values are included to avoid fraudulent claims. 

Often, entitled kin are made aware of their inheritance through the Treasury's website or in national and local press advertisements. 

If you think that you may be due any money in unclaimed estates, you are required to provide evidence of their blood relationship in the form of birth, marriage and death certificates, along with evidence of your identity.

Categories: Genealogy, Ireland, UK, Irish