News story

Act now to claim dormant funds held by the Court Funds Office

Don’t lose your opportunity to claim Unclaimed Court Money. The rules are changing and the time you have to claim is running out.

From:
Ministry of Justice
Published
1 February 2024

Recent legislation changes have been made which effects how the Court Funds Office (CFO) holds dormant funds. From 01 June 2024 any account that has been held dormant within the CFO for 30 years or more will be surrendered and any future right to claim the funds will be extinguished. Funds are classified as dormant if they have been held by CFO for an extended period, with no activity on the account, and any efforts to trace the intended beneficiary have been unsuccessful.

Following this initial deadline entitled people will still be able to claim any account that has been held by CFO for less than 30 years as normal, but any account that later reaches 30 years of dormancy will be surrendered on the date that this milestone is passed.

There is a range of reasons why CFO hold funds including, but not limited to, the following:

  • 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 lack capacity to manage their own financial affairs and where the Court of Protection has appointed someone else to do so,

  • Pending settlements of civil court action, or on behalf of dissenting shareholders, widows, and other clients.

If you believe that you, or someone you are responsible for, may be eligible to claim an account held by the CFO for 30 years or more then the time to act is now. You can search the online database found here (https://find-unclaimed-court-money.service.justice.gov.uk/). Alternatively, you can contact CFO enquiries direct. The online database will contain information such as the case name, the date the account was opened as well as the final date where the account will be eligible to claim.

Enquiries Contact Information:

By email: enquiries@cfo.gov.uk

By phone: 0300 0200 199

Write to us at: Court Funds Office, Sunderland, SR43 3AB

Published 1 February 2024