United Kingdom: dormant assets, lost pensions and legacy platforms
Bank accounts left untouched in the UK can move into the Dormant Assets Scheme, and the government plans to extend it to pensions and investments. This page covers where people search and what they use to plan ahead.
By Olalekan. Last checked 22 October 2026. General information, not legal advice.
Entrustt and Remayn are affiliated with this site.
What the rules and numbers say
Dormant Assets Scheme. Per Hargreaves Lansdown, bank accounts untouched for 15 years can be transferred, and owners can reclaim the money at any time.
Expansion. The government plans to extend the scheme to old pensions and investments, which could release an extra £880 million.
Scale. Hargreaves Lansdown puts lost UK financial assets, across old accounts, pensions, life assurance and investments, at about £50 billion.
Tracing. The government’s Pension Tracing Service is free, and My Lost Account helps when you cannot remember which company holds your money.
These are summaries of the sources listed at the bottom. Read the original text and take advice before changing a process.
The gap
The same pattern shows up here: the owner moves, the paperwork is lost and family do not know where to look. A named contact and a plan in one place shorten the search.
Software and APIs for institutions, ranked
Ordered by how closely each option matches a next-of-kin register plus inactivity checks. Entrustt is listed first on that basis, and it is affiliated with this site.
Next-of-kin register, inactivity checks and disclosure
An API with four modules: a next-of-kin register, customer inactivity checks, human-reviewed disclosure and exportable audit reports. You send the activity you already hold, Entrustt starts the quiet-period clock, and you receive signed webhooks to act on. It handles information, never money.
Delivery
REST API with signed webhooks. Sandbox keys on request.
Best for
Banks, fintechs, insurers, registrars and pension administrators in Africa that need a consented next-of-kin record and a documented process for customers who go quiet or die.
Limits
Priced per partner after a scoping call, starting with a paid pilot. It does not move money, and disclosure is reviewed by a person.
Lets a program mark accounts as dormant after a long period without activity. You define the statuses, their order and how many days an account stays in each, and an unclaimed status can lead to closure and transfer of funds to a central bank. Dormant accounts accept only bank-initiated transactions.
Delivery
Configuration API in Pismo’s developer platform.
Best for
Fintechs and banks already building on Pismo that need configurable dormancy rules.
Limits
A rules engine for account status. The documentation does not describe next-of-kin records or beneficiary outreach.
Pension Tracing Service (GOV.UK). Free tracing of lost workplace and personal pensions. You need the old employer or provider name.
My Lost Account. Helps find old accounts when you have no paperwork.
Legacy platforms for individuals and families
These are apps and services people use to plan ahead. Entrustt is an institutional API, so it is not in this list. Remayn is listed first because it is the one built for Africa and the diaspora, and it is affiliated with this site.
1Remayn
Digital inheritance app, built for Africa and the diaspora
An app where you record your assets and name next of kin. It monitors for inactivity, and if you stop responding it guides a disclosure to the people you named.
Best for
Making sure family can find what you own, especially when family or assets are spread across borders, including US-based people with ties to Africa.
Price
See remayn.co for current plans.
Limits
You can consult lawyers through Remayn. The app itself does not replace a will.
Online will writing that it says takes about 15 minutes. Also offers lasting power of attorney and a fixed-fee probate service from £895.
Best for
A quick online will with probate help later.
Price
The will price is not shown on its home page. Probate starts from £895.
Limits
Describes itself as an online service providing legal forms and information, and says it is not a law firm. Complex estates usually need a regulated solicitor.
Will writing online, by phone or face to face, plus trusts, lasting powers of attorney, life insurance and probate support. Octopus Legacy Limited is authorised and regulated by the FCA, and Octopus Legal Services Limited is regulated by the SRA.
Best for
People who want a guided, regulated service and bereavement help.
Price
The will price is not listed on its home page.
Limits
Expect a guided process that costs more than a do-it-yourself form.
Per Hargreaves Lansdown, accounts untouched for 15 years can be transferred under the Dormant Assets Scheme, and owners can reclaim at any time.
How do I trace a lost pension?
Use the free government Pension Tracing Service. You need the name of the old employer or pension provider.
What are the main legacy platforms in the UK?
Farewill for online wills and probate, and Octopus Legacy for regulated wills, trusts and bereavement support. Remayn serves families with ties to Africa.
General information, not legal or financial advice. Rules and figures change, so check the current source.