My Lost Account UK: how it works and what it does not find
This guide explains what My Lost Account covers, how to run a search, how long the results take, and which services to use for the pensions, investments and insurance policies it does not find.
What is My Lost Account?
My Lost Account is a free tracing service run jointly by UK Finance, the Building Societies Association and NS&I. Over 70 account providers participate, including all major banks, UK building societies and NS&I. The service exists so that people can find and save money that would otherwise sit unclaimed in dormant accounts.
The service searches for accounts that have been classified as lost by their provider. An account is typically classed as lost after there has been no customer contact for an extended period, often around 15 years, and attempts to reach the account holder have been unsuccessful.
My Lost Account is free to use. The My Lost Account website warns against paying any third party to carry out the same search.
Most people use the service in one of two situations. They have found paperwork pointing to an account that may no longer be active, or they are dealing with the estate of someone who has died and need to find accounts they did not know existed.
How do I use My Lost Account?
You run a My Lost Account search by completing one online application, which is then sent to every provider you select. The steps are:
Create a profile on the My Lost Account website at mylostaccount.org.uk.
Complete the search form with as much information as possible about the account holder and the account.
Select the account providers you want to search.
Submit the application. The information goes to the selected providers, who carry out their own searches.
Each provider sends you the result by email or by letter.
The more information you provide (account holder name, previous addresses, approximate dates, account type), the more likely a match is.
If you are searching for a deceased person's accounts as an executor or next of kin, you will need to provide a date of death. The My Lost Account website notes the service is not designed to be the primary route for settling the banking affairs of someone who has died. For active accounts, contact each bank directly first; our guide on how to notify a bank after someone dies covers that process.
How long does My Lost Account take?
Each provider searches its own records and responds to you directly, so response times vary by provider. The service states that you will receive a response to your search within three months (My Lost Account). You receive a separate email or letter from every provider you selected, so results can arrive at different times.
What does My Lost Account cover?
My Lost Account covers personal bank accounts, building society accounts and NS&I products that have been classified as lost or dormant. It covers a narrower range of assets than most families assume when searching for a deceased person's finances.
Covered:
Personal bank accounts (current and savings) classified as lost
Building society accounts classified as lost
NS&I products classified as dormant, including dormant Premium Bonds
Accounts held with defunct providers (Abbey National, Alliance and Leicester, Bradford and Bingley, Halifax, Northern Rock and others)
Not covered:
Pension funds or pension schemes of any kind
ISAs held with investment platforms
Stocks, shares or investment accounts
Insurance policies, including life insurance
Business or charity accounts
Accounts held overseas
The "classified as lost" distinction matters. My Lost Account cannot trace active accounts where the bank still holds current contact details. If the account was in use until recently, the bank will not have classified it as lost, and a direct approach to the bank is the right route.
The defunct-names coverage is genuinely useful for old paperwork. If the account was held with a bank or building society that no longer exists under its original name, the service matches that name to its successor provider.
Does My Lost Account find Premium Bonds?
Yes, My Lost Account can trace Premium Bonds, but only where the NS&I account has been classified as dormant. Premium Bonds can also be traced through NS&I directly by phone or post, because NS&I holds records of all Premium Bond holders. Unclaimed prizes are checked separately with the NS&I prize checker at nsandi.com.
If the bondholder has died, NS&I runs its own bereavement claims process for Premium Bonds and all other NS&I products. Our guides on NS&I bereavement and what happens to Premium Bonds when someone dies cover that route.
What happens to money in dormant accounts?
After 15 years of no contact, the money in a lost account may be transferred to Reclaim Fund Ltd (RFL) under a statutory scheme. Reclaim Fund Ltd retains a portion to meet future reclaims and distributes the surplus to The National Lottery Community Fund, which directs it to social and environmental initiatives across the UK.
The transfer does not extinguish the account holder's entitlement. Banks and building societies continue to hold records of the account. The money remains the legal property of the account holder or their heirs in perpetuity, and a successful My Lost Account search can still recover funds after they have moved to Reclaim Fund Ltd. Once a lost account is confirmed, the bank's normal bereavement process applies, which is explained in what happens to a bank account when someone dies.
The Dormant Assets Act 2022 expanded the dormant assets scheme beyond banks and building societies to include insurance, pensions, investments and securities. My Lost Account itself still covers only bank accounts, building society accounts and NS&I products, so other asset types need the separate routes below.
What should I use for pensions, investments and insurance?
Different tracing services cover the assets My Lost Account does not, and most of them are free.
Pensions: the government's free Pension Tracing Service; see our guide on the Pension Tracing Service UK
Premium Bonds and NS&I products: NS&I directly by phone or post, or the prize checker for unclaimed prizes
Life insurance and pension policies: the Association of British Insurers' free Unclaimed Assets Register search at abi.org.uk/mylostsavings
Investment accounts and ISAs: no single central service; search statements and correspondence for provider names, then contact each provider; the Unclaimed Assets Register covers some investment accounts
Shares in listed companies: Computershare and Equiniti, the two main UK share registrars, hold records for many listed company shareholdings
For investment accounts and platform ISAs, the most practical approach is to search bank statements, email records and correspondence for references to platforms or providers, then contact each one directly.
How does My Lost Account fit into estate administration?
For executors, My Lost Account is one tool among several rather than a complete solution. It covers dormant bank, building society and NS&I accounts. The full picture of a deceased person's finances typically also requires direct contact with banks for active accounts, the Pension Tracing Service for pensions, NS&I for Premium Bonds, and the ABI register for insurance policies.
Any money a search recovers belongs to the estate and counts towards its value. Our guide on how to value an estate for probate explains where traced accounts fit. If a search result arrives late, see what to do if you find accounts after probate has been granted.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, My Lost Account is completely free to use. The service is run jointly by UK Finance, the Building Societies Association and NS&I, and its website warns against paying any third party to carry out the same search. Companies that charge a fee for dormant account tracing are searching the same records you can search yourself.
Yes, mylostaccount.org.uk is the official website for the My Lost Account service, run by UK Finance, the Building Societies Association and NS&I. There is no charge to register or search. Treat any site that asks for payment to run the same dormant account search as a red flag.
Yes, executors and next of kin can use My Lost Account to trace a deceased person's dormant accounts, and you will need to provide a date of death. The service is not designed as the primary route for settling banking affairs after a death; contact each bank directly for accounts that were active.
No, My Lost Account only searches for accounts that providers have classified as lost, typically after around 15 years without customer contact. If the account was used recently, the bank will not have classified it as lost. Contact the bank's bereavement or customer service team directly instead of running a My Lost Account search.
Yes, My Lost Account matches defunct institution names to their successor providers. Accounts opened with Abbey National, Alliance and Leicester, Bradford and Bingley, Halifax, Northern Rock and other names that have since disappeared can still be traced, because the successor provider holds the records and carries out the search.
This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Individual circumstances vary. If you are dealing with an estate, consider taking advice from a solicitor who specialises in probate. For other guidance specific to your circumstances, speak to a funeral director, Citizens Advice, or a regulated financial adviser.