Claim unclaimed court funds now
Do you have unclaimed money held by the Court Funds Office? The rules are changing and the time you have to claim your money is running out.
The Office of the Accountant General (OAG) in the Ministry of Justice has brought in changes to the rules about how inactive funds are held by the Court Funds Office (CFO). From 01 June 2024, any right to claim the funds will be lost if they have been held without activity for 30 years and above. This only affects you if you have been involved in a legal case where a financial settlement was awarded to you, but you have never claimed it.
The initial deadline to claim any funds that have been held unclaimed for more than 30 years is 31 May 2024. These rules will then apply to any account that reaches 30 years of inactivity going forwards. You can only make a claim on these accounts up until that 30-year mark has been reached.
The initial deadline to claim any funds that have been held unclaimed for more than 30 years is 31 May 2024.
If you believe that you may be entitled to claim you can ask somebody representing you to search the online database found at (Find unclaimed court money – GOV.UK (justice.gov.uk)).
If this is not possible, CFO staff will be able to search the database on your behalf. You can ask them to do this by calling the helpline number on 0300 0200 199, or writing directly to: Court Funds Office, Sunderland SR43 3AB.
If the CFO is able to find an account with a link to you, they will tell you what you need to do next and direct you to the relevant court to make a claim.
If you do make a claim with the relevant court, for an account within the last 12 months before its claim deadline, you must let the CFO know. You, or somebody representing you, will need to inform the CFO and provide details of the Unclaimed Court Money account you are claiming for, including the title of the account, case number, account number and date on which you made the claim to the court by emailing:
UCM-claiminprogress@cfo.gov.uk or by phoning 0300 0200 199
There are several ways you may have unclaimed funds
- Damages that were awarded to children as a result of civil legal action in a county court in England, Wales or the High Court of Justice.
- Assets belonging to people who are unable to manage their own financial affairs so the Court of Protection has appointed someone else to do so.
- Other court cases, such as where a property was repossessed by a bank because the mortgage was not paid.
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