What this interactive tool does

Billions of pounds in shares and dividends go unclaimed in the UK, often because a shareholder moved house, changed their name, or died without the holding being passed on. On average, between two and five percent of any company's shareholders cannot be traced. This interactive tool takes what you know, whether that is an old certificate, a windfall from a building society that turned into a bank, or an uncashed dividend cheque, and shows you how to trace the holding and reclaim what you are owed.

The key is knowing which registrar holds the records and what proof they will ask for, and that is exactly what the tool maps out for you.

When to use it

Use it if you have found share certificates in a drawer, or if you remember receiving free shares when a building society or insurer demutualised, such as Halifax, Standard Life, Nationwide, Portman or Norwich Union. It is also the right tool if you have uncashed dividend cheques, or if you are settling a relative's estate and suspect there are shares that were never sold or transferred. You do not need to know the exact number of shares to begin, a company name and a little old paperwork is often enough to get started.

How it works

You answer a few questions about what you think you are owed, whose shares they are, any windfall source you recognise, and how much you know about the holding. The tool then explains which registrar is likely to hold the records, naming the main UK firms Computershare, Equiniti and MUFG Corporate Markets, and how to contact them. It walks you through using the Unclaimed Assets Register, replacing lost certificates with a letter of indemnity, chasing uncashed dividends, and the extra probate steps that apply when a shareholder has died. It also sets realistic expectations on value and timing. Nothing you enter is stored.