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What happens next to a claim?

After submitting, the Treasury Solicitor will contact you to request a simple family tree to show how you are related to the deceased.

The Treasury Solicitor looks at the family tree to make sure you are from the same family as the deceased and that you are an entitled relative.

You will be then be asked to supply some or all of the following documents by recorded post:

• two current documents of identity (one proof of identity should show your name and date of birth, such as a medical card, original birth certificate, passport or driving licence and the other needs to be dated within the last six months and show your name and current address such as a utility or council tax bill, or Department of Work and Pensions letter)
• certificates (birth and marriage) necessary to show your link to the deceased

All birth certificates should be full copies showing the parents names. Photocopied certificates and proofs of identity will only suffice if a Justice of the Peace or solicitor has certified them to be true copies of the original.

Please note that the onus is on the claimant to satisfy the Treasury Solicitor of entitlement. The Treasury Solicitor is not able to provide detailed information about the estate, in particular about the assets and liabilities until they have received and agreed your claim.

If you don't have all the certificates, what can you do?

If you don't have all the certificates, you can get them from the local registrar where the event took place or from the appropriate General Register Office.

• England and Wales: Order birth, marriage and death certificates (government, citizens and rights section)

• Scotland: National Records of Scotland (formerly General Register Office) Opens new window

• Northern Ireland: Order a birth, adoption, death, marriage or civil partnership certificate Opens new window

• Ireland: General Register Office (for Republic of Ireland and those in Northern Ireland before 1922) Opens new window

Dealing with your claim

Once the Treasury Solicitor has received all the certificates and proofs of identity and personal information, your claim will be considered. You will be informed it has been accepted or if further documents or information are needed (such as a census return). If you have not heard from the Treasury Solicitor within four weeks, then please get in touch to check that all documents have been received.

What happens once the claim has been admitted (accepted)

If your claim is admitted, the Treasury Solicitor will write and let you know that they will give up their interest in the estate and return your certificates and proofs of identity. You will be asked whether you wish to administer the estate yourself or instruct a firm of solicitors to act for you.

Get in touch

If you are in any doubt about how to make a claim to the Treasury Solicitor, or need any further information regarding ownerless property (bona vacantia) or the Treasury Solicitor’s requirements, then please get in touch.

Treasury Solicitor's Office (BV)
One Kemble Street
London
WC2B 4TS

Tel. 020 7210 3116/3117/3239
Fax. 020 7210 3104
Email:
bvinfo@tsol.gsi.gov.uk

More about making a claim on a deceased's estate

• Making a claim on a deceased's estate - introduction

• Making a claim on a deceased's estate to the Treasury Solicitor: who is an entitled relative?

• Making a claim on a deceased's estate to the Treasury Solicitor: time limits on claiming

• Making a claim on a deceased's estate to the Treasury Solicitor: submitting a claim

• Making a claim on a deceased's estate to the Treasury Solicitor: genealogists