The Unclaimed Assets Register

Halifax, the country's largest savings provider, has become the first UK bank to sign up with the Unclaimed Assets Register (UAR), which is operated by Experian.

Halifax has approximately £50million in dormant accounts, relating to around 110,000 customers. These accounts have been inactive for at least 15 years and many no longer have the correct address held, so contact with the customer has been lost.

Halifax dormant account records will shortly be live on the UAR.

I really cannot praise UAR highly enough. When I initially sought help from various organisations, ombudsmen etc., I got nowhere. Only when I contacted you did I find an organisation whose support enabled me to persist and reach a successful conclusion. My heartfelt thanks therefore to all at the UAR.

Mr W—Bexhill on Sea

…to tackle the problem credit referencing agency Experian set up the Unclaimed Assets Register to bring together on one computer database all the information you need to trace money owing to you. So far, it has amassed four million records with an estimated value of £500 million. These include life policies, pensions, dividends and unit trusts.

…someone told me about the Unclaimed Assets Register and I found it on the internet and downloaded the form. Within a few days of paying the search fee it came up with my endowment, which was with Standard Life. With interest it was worth nearly £1,900 which was very nice.

Mr D of London

The Unclaimed Assets Register could prove a godsend for people who have only the sketchiest details for possible entitlements.

The Guardian

I thought I would let you know that your and my efforts to secure the pension due to me has reached a satisfactory conclusion. I am most grateful for your help in this matter.

Mr B, Northumberland.

Helpfully, there is now something approaching a one-stop shop for forgotten assets. The UAR was set up in December 1999 …to help to trace misplaced assets.

The Times