If you’ve been listening to the Radio 4 series Grave Robbers, you’re probably shocked, surprised, maybe even a little worried.

So, what can you do to protect yourself?

What is Grave Robbers on Radio 4?

It’s a 5-part series investigating fraudsters who steal properties and assets from the deceased usually those who die intestate (without a will) or sometimes those with one. If you die without a will, your name is listed on the Bona Vacantia website – a list of unclaimed estates. Criminals then target these estates and create fraudulent wills, submit them to the probate office and attempt to get control of the assets, some very successfully.

Since the programme aired last month, the government Bona Vacantia web page has been taken down, but other websites are still online publicising this data.

What can you do to protect yourself?

Write a will

The Bona Vacantia page highlights estates – about 6,000 – which have no will accompanying them to determine who inherits them. Keep your name off that list by having a will giving clear instructions as to who inherits your assets when you die.

Writing a will is generally pretty quick and pretty easy. We find that many people put off writing a will because they can’t make up their minds over how much to give to charity or whether to nominate a guardian for child under the age of 18, or some other relatively minor issue. Talk to your solicitor – they ask insightful questions, give clear guidance and help you overcome these stumbling blocks. With expert help, writing a will takes just a couple of hours. And then it’s done. You are protected from unscrupulous thieves. And if you want to change it later, you can do. A will protects your assets, but you can amend it whenever you like: if you change your mind, or your circumstances change.

Leave your will with your solicitor

Your solicitor will keep your will in safe storage, electronically and in hard copy. So, when it’s needed – when you die or if you decide to update your will – you or your family know exactly where it is. Solicitors usually offer this service free of charge.

Tell your family where you keep your will

Whether it’s in your private papers at home, or at your solicitors, inform your family as to the whereabouts of your will, so they can deal with your estate easily on your passing.

Consider registering your will with the National Will Register

Ten million wills are registered on the National Will Register, which is affiliated to the Law Society and is recommended by Martin Lewis from MoneySavingExpert.com. It costs £30 for registration although in May, the service ran a month-long promotion and was free of charge. They don’t hold the will, but they do have the will registered and list where the will is held.

Grave Robbers is an astounding piece of radio, and not for good reasons. The government has already made changes, and hopefully more will be done to update what is obviously a flawed system. But change can take time, so do what you can to protect yourself now. A little bit of time and expenditure could ensure your hard-earned assets go to the right people, not the criminal fraternity.

For more information about writing your will, please contact Mark Shaw on 01274 519351 or email mark.shaw@awbclaw.co.uk

1 August 2025

Further reading:

Contested wills going to court, up 140% in last 10 years

Intestacy: the question of inheritance

Amongst uncertainty about APR changes, is gifting the answer?

What is STEP? And why it’s essential for inheritance planning.