How to check whether you have unclaimed money in a bank account

Could you have a forgotten £39,000 too?

Not having a joint account means we’re completely accountable for our spending habits and money problems (Getty)

There’s around £850 million just sitting in forgotten British bank accounts, according to recent estimates.

It’s a lot of money that could be yours.

Whether you’ve simply forgotten about a bank account or are entitled to that of a deceased loved one, it’s worth finding out.

One man found £39,000 in an old pension, Money Saving Expert reports.

There’s so much cash that the Government has even started using money from accounts that have been dormant for 15 years - don’t worry if one of them is yours though, you should still be able to get the money back.

Fortunately, it’s really easy to find out whether you have any unclaimed money in a bank account.

All you do is head to My Lost Account, which is a joint venture between the British Bankers' Association, the Building Societies Association and National Savings & Investments (NS&I).

(Prior to this you had to use various different forms to trace old accounts and reclaim money which was much more of a hassle.)

Simply fill out the online form and enter your contact details, and then it’s just a case of waiting - you should hear back from banks and building societies within three months.

Provided the bank or building society agrees on the validity of your claim, you should be fine.

If they don’t, however, you can appeal through the bank themselves.

And if that still doesn’t work, you can take your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service, which is an independent arbiter.

Unknown riches could soon be yours.