Millions forgotten in bank accounts
Almost £3 million is gathering dust in accounts with Wolverhampton-banking giant Birmingham Midshires, it was revealed today. Almost £3 million is gathering dust in accounts with Wolverhampton-banking giant Birmingham Midshires, it was revealed today. Account holders with the Pendeford lender and its parent company Halifax and Bank of Scotland are entitled to £2.8 million in unclaimed funds. On average, the accounts have around £180 in after being forgotten by their owners - or even set up without their knowledge. But 45 of the accounts each have more than £10,000. In Wolverhampton alone, almost £250,000 is waiting to be claimed from accounts which have been classed as dormant after being untouched for 15 years. Read the full story in today's Express & Star and see where the money is below: These are the areas where the millions are waiting to be claimed: Stafford, more than £14,000 Cannock, more than £5,700 Stourbridge, more than £17,000 Dudley, more than £39,000 Kidderminster, more than £38,000 Telford, more than £34,000 Walsall, more than £133,000 Lichfield, more than £7,700 West Bromwich, more than £16,000 Wolverhampton, more than £249,000 Worcester, more than £79,000
Almost £3 million is gathering dust in accounts with Wolverhampton-banking giant Birmingham Midshires, it was revealed today.
Account holders with the Pendeford lender and its parent company Halifax and Bank of Scotland are entitled to £2.8 million in unclaimed funds.
On average, the accounts have around £180 in after being forgotten by their owners - or even set up without their knowledge. But 45 of the accounts each have more than £10,000.
In Wolverhampton alone, almost £250,000 is waiting to be claimed from accounts which have been classed as dormant after being untouched for 15 years.
Bank chiefs say many of the addresses they hold on file are no longer up-to-date, making it hard to track down customers
Midshires has now launched an advertising campaign in the Express & Star and national media in an effort to reunite the money with its owners.
Tim Hague, head of savings operations at Birmingham Midshires said: "We want to highlight to West Midlanders more than £2.8million is sitting dormant in West Midlands based accounts.
"We would urge customers to come forward and check if they have dormant money waiting to be claimed."
Emma Partridge, spokeswoman for Birmingham Midshires, said: "Often people can just forget about these funds.
"Sometimes, accounts have been set up in other people's names by relatives and they don't know they've got them."
Midshires has already reunited account holders with £1.4m, with the largest sum reaching £287,000, as part of its campaign - Desperately Seeking.
Consumers can check if they have dormant funds via www.askbm.co.uk, www.halifaxlocateaccounts.co.uk or via the British Bankers Association, www.mylostaccount.org.uk.
These are the areas where the millions are waiting to be claimed:
Stafford, more than £14,000
Cannock, more than £5,700
Stourbridge, more than £17,000
Dudley, more than £39,000
Kidderminster, more than £38,000
Telford, more than £34,000
Walsall, more than £133,000
Lichfield, more than £7,700
West Bromwich, more than £16,000
Wolverhampton, more than £249,000
Worcester, more than £79,000
By Mike Woods
