The Bona Vacantia list of unclaimed estates in England and Wales, an unusual source for family historians and genealogists, is back online after being taken down in July 2025 — good news.
Following unsubstantiated allegations of fraud, the data being published as a spreadsheet has been scaled back. Where the list previously contained more detailed information, it now shows only:
- Deceased’s name
- Date of death
- Area where they died
- Bona Vacantia case reference number
The current spreadsheet contains 5,457 unclaimed estates. If you believe you may be entitled to one of these estates — perhaps through a relative who died without a will or known next of kin — the list is the starting point. You can access it at gov.uk/government/organisations/bona-vacantia.