Forgotten treasure!

By THIS IS MONEY
Updated: 00:00 BST, 28 December 2000

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Millions of people could give themselves an instant 支払う／賃金 rise in 2001 簡単に by （人命などを）奪う，主張するing lost cash that is rightfully theirs. An astonishing £15bn of unclaimed cash is lying locked up in forgotten 年金s and 保険 政策s, 貯金 accounts and 株.

The cash pile has arisen 大部分は because big 会・原則s lose 跡をつける of 顧客s who have moved house and failed to 知らせる the organisations. Over time, individuals either forget, or just don't bother to （人命などを）奪う，主張する their money. Many instituti ons try to trace lost 顧客s and, in extreme 事例／患者s where large 量s are 伴う／関わるd, they even 雇う 私立探偵s. But it can be an expensive and often fruitless struggle.

In an 試みる／企てる to help both parties, 保険 巨大（な） Aon 開始する，打ち上げるd the Unclaimed 資産s 登録（する） a year ago. A dozen life 保険 companies have 供給するd the 登録（する） with 詳細（に述べる）s of forgotten life and 年金s 政策s. For a £15 料金 - 10% of which goes to charity - the 登録（する） will look for owners' lost 政策s.

The 登録（する） has seen a 安定した rise in enquiries in the run-up to Christmas and so far this year it has 本国に送還するd at least £300,000 to rightful owners, によれば marketing 経営者／支配人 Paula Brine. She says: 'We hope 結局 to 含む occupational 年金s, unclaimed 株 （株主への）配当s and 未払いの 利益／興味 on gilts.'

One テレビ視聴者 who is now £1,600 richer is Donald Chetwynd from Maghull in Merseyside. Donald, 64, a retired joiner and 建設業者 who worked in the 産業 for 50 years, saw an item on the show about B&CE 利益 計画／陰謀s, the largest provider of 従業員 利益s for 労働者s in the construction 産業. It 明らかにする／漏らすd that up to 7,000 retired 労働者s had not （人命などを）奪う，主張するd lump sums 価値（がある） up to £6,500.

The 受益者s are hard to 跡をつける 負かす／撃墜する because of the nature of the building 産業, where 労働者s move from company to company and 職業 to 職業. But they must be traced within six years or they 没収される the money.

He says: 'I got the phone number from the programme and I soon received an 使用／適用 form. I returned it and within a fortnight they sent me a cheque for £1,600.' The money was the 成熟 value of a lump-sum 退職 利益 計画／陰謀.

Donald, who is married to Ruth, 64, says: 'It was a nice surprise. I had no idea I was する権利を与えるd to it. I have spent some of the money already on Christmas, but I have put the 残り／休憩（する） in a 貯金 account.'

Here are some of the organisations that can help trace the 行方不明の millions. Always check how much it will cost to 跡をつける 負かす／撃墜する the money.

? B&CE 08457 41 41 42; Unclaimed 資産s 登録（する） 0870 241 1713 or visit www.uar.co.uk; 資産 Search 0161 839 4664; 株主 投資s 研究 020 7335 8700; 信用 研究 Services 01732 741411.

For forgotten 国家の 貯金 証明書s or unclaimed 賞与金 社債 prizes go to www.nationalsavings.co.uk For 行方不明の 部隊 信用s or 投資 信用s try the 協会 of 部隊 信用s and 投資 基金s 020 7831 0898, or the 協会 of 投資 信用 Companies 020 7282 5555. Find 行方不明の 株 through Lloyds Registrars 0870 600 3970, CAPITA IRG 0208 639 2000 and Computershare 0870 702 0000.