How to Trace Whereabouts of Trust Funds?

Originally written by Josh Hall, updated by the editorial team on 31st May 2026

Mr Ed Cook asks

A close friend died recently but shortly before he died he told me that he had set up a trust fund in the names of his children. The fund consisted of some inherited assets. We cant find any detail of the fund amongst his things. Is there a central registration body or some other way to trace what arrangements he had made?

Why trusts can be hard to find

When someone dies, tracking down their assets and legal arrangements is often a slow and frustrating task. Trusts present a particular difficulty because there is no central register that the public can search.

One key reason is that you do not need to formally register most trusts to create one. Many trusts are established through a will or a short standalone document. This makes them straightforward to set up but harder to trace later.

The Trust Registration Service run by HMRC does require certain trusts to be registered. Since September 2022, virtually all UK express trusts must be registered unless specifically exempt, not just those with tax liabilities or those caught by anti money laundering rules. However, this register is not publicly searchable, and many older trusts may never have been added to it.

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Check the will first

The most common place to find trust arrangements is within the deceased person's will. Trusts created this way are called testamentary trusts, and they come into effect on death.

If probate has been granted, the will becomes a public document. You can order a copy through the Probate Registry for a small fee. The online England and Wales Probate Service allows searches for wills and grants of probate dating back to 1858. This may reveal whether any trust was established and who the trustees are.

Some trusts are set up during a person's lifetime rather than through a will. These are known as lifetime trusts or inter vivos trusts. Finding these used to be more difficult, as the original trust deed might be held by a solicitor, bank, or among the person's private papers. However, under current rules, most inter vivos trusts must now be registered with the Trust Registration Service unless specifically exempt.

Your situation may be slightly different. ask a question below ↓ and our editorial team will reply with our advice.

Working with the executor

Your ability to search through someone's affairs depends on your role. If you are the executor, you have broad authority to examine bank statements, correspondence with solicitors, and other financial records that might point to a trust.

If you are not the executor but believe a trust exists, it may be helpful to discuss this with whoever is handling the estate. They can then make enquiries on your behalf.

Solicitors who drafted the will or advised on estate planning may hold copies of trust documents. It is worth contacting any law firms the deceased used. The same applies to accountants, financial advisers, or private banks they dealt with.

Other places to look

Trusts sometimes hold specific assets such as property or shares. Land Registry records may show property held by trustees rather than an individual. Company share registers might reveal similar arrangements.

Bank and building society statements can show payments to or from trusts. Insurance policies, particularly life insurance, are sometimes written in trust.

Where you suspect a trust exists but cannot find evidence, a probate researcher or solicitor with experience in estate administration may be able to assist, particularly with high value estates or those involving assets held overseas.

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39 questions

Ask Estates or Trusts a Question

EstatesOrTrusts Editor 08/09/2026 at 10:15 am

@Joe Start by asking your family if anyone knows which solicitor or bank your grandfather used to set up the trust, as they'd usually hold the paperwork and records of trustees. If that's a dead end, try contacting the firm that handled his estate in 1979, or check with the Law Society who can help trace old solicitors' files if the original firm has since closed or merged. You can also write to the major banks' trust departments to ask if they hold anything in your name. As a beneficiary you have a legal right to information about the trust, so once you find the trustees they must account to you. Worth speaking to a contentious trusts solicitor if the trustees stall.

Joe 08/09/2026 at 10:15 am

Hi, my grandfather died in 1979, I was told he left me a trust fund, he didn’t have a will when he died, it was set up while he was alive, I was supposed to get this when I was sixteen but never did, I’m now 50 and wondered how I go about if I can locating the trust fund

EstatesOrTrusts Editor 05/09/2026 at 8:34 pm

@Rob Finding a trust set up by someone else can be tricky, as there's no public register of trusts in the UK that you can freely search. Start with your father's solicitor if you know who they were, and check his personal papers, bank statements and old correspondence for any mention of the trust or the trustees. If he was the settlor, the trust deed will name the trustees and beneficiaries, and HMRC's Trust Registration Service holds records though access is restricted to those with a legitimate interest. As a beneficiary you can request information from the trustees once identified, so a probate solicitor may be worth a call if the paper trail runs cold.

Rob 05/09/2026 at 8:34 pm

My late father ser up a trust fund in 2012. I am seeking advice on how to find the fund, the names of trustees & beneficiaries.

EstatesOrTrusts Editor 18/05/2026 at 9:16 am

@owen Money awarded to a minor in a personal injury claim is usually paid into the Court Funds Office and held until you turn 18. Try contacting them directly on 0300 0200 199, or use the online enquiry form at gov.uk/government/organisations/court-funds-office. You'll need your full name, date of birth and ideally the court reference or the date of the settlement. If your parents can recall which solicitor handled the claim, ring them too as they'll have the file.

owen 12/11/2024 at 12:39 pm

I was involved in a car accident when I was younger and I’m now 18 and I was awarded £3,000 and my parents cannot find where the claimed money was held or its whereabouts.
please could you help me
kind regards, Owen liddle

Neil 11/11/2024 at 12:46 pm

I’m trying to locate details of a trust fund which was left by my younger brother with my parents being the beneficiaries.
I’m told the fund has been closed by my brother who doesn’t have the rights to do so.
I’m trying to locate details of the fund and the bank involved in its closure .

Shaz 26/03/2024 at 10:42 am

Hi I am looking for a trust fund,that I think my dad left is half of the house in ,my step mother didn't go into detail,when my dad died 27years ago ,on the 12th,of,April 1997 know my step mum as died an her daughters haven't said anything to us my step mum died about a month nearly was buried 2weeks ago

Larry Jenkins 25/07/2021 at 5:04 am

Hello i am trying to locate a trust that i think my mother is hiding from me

Larry Jenkins 25/07/2021 at 5:03 am

Hello i am trying to locate a trust that my mother is hiding from me

Sally Reeves 09/07/2021 at 5:19 pm

My father left my son a trust fund for him, he is now 27 years old, my father died in the year of 2000. How do I find out about this?

Dude 26/04/2021 at 9:55 pm

Hi there can you help me locate a trust fund for the Kelly-Sporle family, it was meant to go to my dad but he wouldn’t change his name from Jennings to Kelly-sporle,

None 08/01/2021 at 1:16 am

My mum Barbara West should have received a trust fund in 1959 when she was 21 it was from a pit disaster that happened in 1942 sneyed pit in stoke on trent she never thought about it until she passed away in 2013 and she told me about it and made me promise her I would try to track it it down I am her only daughter

rebal 18/12/2020 at 9:17 am

im looking for a old trustfund that was supposed to be set up for myself and two brothers after they got thru in court my s
well i called her mom and she was killed in a car crash involving a 18 wheeler and it going to be here or Oklahoma

BigD 23/09/2020 at 10:54 am

My parents will talks about a trust fund but my trustee wont deal
So what do I do

Meraai 25/08/2020 at 9:48 pm

Hi my name is Liza. My great grandmother passed away in 2008. She told me that I have a trust in my name which my great great grandfather openend for me when he found out that my mother was pregnant with me that was around 1987 I should have gotten it when I was 21 but I was never Given any info about what trust it was or where to go or how to find it I only have my great great grandfathers name and surname how can I find my trust please help.

Lizzy95 12/08/2020 at 11:52 am

Hi,
When my dad passed away in 2011 my mum put £3000 in to trust for me till I turned 25 years old. The problem is we have l lost all details for who the trust fund was with and I turn 25years old in 20day. How do I find my trust fund? Can toy

kel 04/08/2020 at 12:15 pm

hi I'm not sure if any one can help but here goes . my father died in 1968 when I was 3months old he had a fatal accident at work . he left behind my mum and 6 children .we were all left £200 which I suppose in 1968 was a lot of money . however when I was 18 I received off my mum my what you would call inheritance
I got £200 . at the time I didn't question this but over the years I have thought about it and you would have thought that over the 18yrs since my dad passed away that this would have increased some what. now what I don't know is , is who we got the money off ., if it was in a trust or if it had been invested . as no body ever mentioned is there any body who would be able to give myself some information as how to go about looking into this .
regards
kelvin

Tiny tray 13/06/2020 at 7:27 pm

Hi my biological father opened a trust fund of £50 for me in 1971- 1975. He sign my adoption paperwork In 1975- December I believe. I only found out about him and the fact I was adopted in 2016. I have since found out he passed away in 2011. With no paperwork how can I trace this trust fund ??

Lolu 05/06/2020 at 7:58 am

Hello ,
I'm trying to locate a trust I'm the beneficiary of it .
Someone just past away and I haven't got the necessary information to locate the trust. Could you please help.
Thank you

Jen 12/01/2020 at 8:40 am

My mum stayed my grandparents set up a mortgage type trust fund due to mature at age 21. I’m 46 and have not heard a thing. There’s no other relatives to ask. Any ideas?
Thanks

Que 02/01/2020 at 7:43 am

GREETINGS....YES IM SEEKING SOME HELPFUL ADVICE ON WHAT STEPS TO TAKE ON LOCATING A TRUST FUND THAT MY MOTHER HAD ESTABLISHED FOR ME IN THE YEAR OF 1983....QUITE SOME TIME AGO... THROUGH OUT THE YEARS MY MOTHER WENT THROUGH SOME LIFE CRISIS WHICH DUE TO HER SITUATION OVER TIME SHE HAVE LOST THE DOCUMENTS OF THE TRUST FUND....SHE PUT THE TRUST UP FOR ME AFTER MY FATHER PASS AWAY AUGUSTA OF 1986....I REMEMBERED GOING WITH HER AT THE AGE OF 3 YEARS....NOT MUCH DETAILS....FROM WHAT SHE CAN REMEMBER IT WAS MONEY LEFT OVER AFTER MY FATHER BURAL FROM THE INSURANCE POLICY WITH AMERICAN GENERAL LIFE INSURANCE....SHE REMEMBER SIGNING A HUGE BOOK AFTERWARDS....AS WELL AS SMALL DETAILS OF THE LOCATION AND HOW THE BUILDING APPEARED.. PLEASE HELP

Wombal 05/11/2019 at 9:14 am

I have been left a trust fund by my father but my mother and brother have stole it how can I find out how to find it also they changed my fathers will

Loopy lou 18/05/2019 at 10:16 am

Hello many years ago my grandparents set up a trust fund for all grandchildren sadly my nan passed away around 1994 but on many occasions before this stated we had a fund set up we were very close with our grandparents and they doted on us. Very sadly my mum passed away in 1997 followed by my grandad in 1998 which on the day of his resting my aunty informed us that myself and two sisters are to recieve money and my cousin was to recieve there 5 bedroomed home anyway a couple of years pass and we have contact with my aunty who's stated that we were left nothing and Claire everything but here's where it gets strange we went to the private office and received a copy of the will which was short and sweet but no mention of myself my sister's or my mother it looks like we don't even exist in there life's and we were a big part of them. From so.e research the solicitor who dealt with his will has now closed due to fraudulent activity. My question is could they cash our trusts in and how do I find out where this is

Jordz 11/04/2019 at 12:40 am

I'm hoping some one can help me, growing up my mum mentioned quite a few times in my life my grandad her dad had set up some sort of trust fund for me not long after I was born in 1993. As I got older I grew apart from mum but still had contact with my grandad a lot! ever since I can remember until my grandad sadly passed away quite unexpectedly June 30th last year, and my mum was left everything. Does this mean she has access to the trust fund not just mine the three other grandchildrens too? Also how do I go about finding out if there is some sort of trust fund left to me and if I'm slowed to access it myself??

Bettina 11/03/2019 at 7:53 am

I was told when I was put into foster care, that my real parents set up an trust fund for me, putting away bits and bobs into an account, I've tried to contact them about it but I just get blanked, if there is anything you can do to help me, then I can use it to put into my son's account for his future thank you very much I hope to hear from you very soon!

Tingling 23/01/2019 at 3:34 pm

Good day

I am searching for a Trust named FANIE LOMBARD TRUST which was created for the construction of an old age home in Amsterdam s.a. This was all done around 1950s.We don't know where the trust is and suspect the SAVF are involved. Funds are the main source of concern. We are Social Welfare.

Please assist if you can.
BE BLESSED

Regards
ERIC Bell
0844772573

Pzy 15/01/2019 at 2:42 pm

Following the passing of my father I found some certificates for trusts and shares in various companies. Having contacted them I established that to proceed I required probate. All companies noted his death and took copies of the death certificate. I have since obtained probate and having contacted the companies again I have been told no investments can be found. One company eluded to the fact they were trusts and gave me an address to write to, but I was unable to move forward receiving the response no investment found. I did not find his will and the situation is complicated by the fact he lived in Africa and therefore address searches have been unsuccessful. To make matters worse certificates for some of the investments have been stolen and I have been unable to record there theft because I do not have the certificate numbers. I have traced through companies House the companies dealing with the investments and been told they are not the registrars. Please advise in respect of trust funds where multiple company mergers have occurred how I can determine the contact and required reference numbers using my 40 year old paoerwork.

Nkosazana 26/11/2018 at 12:41 am

I'm a south African,My was half Swazi born in SA,We got married in Swaziland ,We had serious differences that separated us though the business was a special arrangement to let me carry on working until my his 60th,We chose never to divorce as he had other issues,He passed on 2015 All relevant documents are missing ;including the will and my papers are hidden because we had a worker fronted but she ended being the other woman?Upon going to the master of the court she had fraudulently declared I had died then qualified to buried my husband within a week as his wife!She's currently fraudulently living high ignoring my existence,I am just watching looting of my legacy!I'm told she's trying to bribe some lawyer to the trust fund to be paid out in January,The offices of the master were unusually ignoring her lies for the estate?She knows about me but just doing fraud in the open !Hiw she acquired the SA papers &marriage certificate is another story!PLEASE ADVISE!

Amanda 17/09/2018 at 8:33 pm

I have found out that I was left a trust fund many years ago. It was from my grandma many years ago..The rest of the family have either deceased or I have lost contact with them due to situations. How can I find out where it is?........I now live in the USA
Thank you

Julie Harding 12/02/2018 at 6:44 pm

Hello my name is Julie Harding i am right on be half of my boyfriend

NS 15/11/2017 at 3:01 pm

My father passed away without informing me where is the trust fund he left me that he spoke about a lot. How can I track it?

EstatesOrTrusts Editor 08/08/2017 at 2:28 pm

There isn't anyway we know of that would help with this other than trying to communicate with relatives.

Viv 06/08/2017 at 5:04 pm

Hello

My son was born in 1997 and his grandfather died in 1996. Before he died he said he had created a trust fund for the child (unborn at that point).
The grandfather was the father of my husband and we have since divorced.
The grandmother no longer speaks to us and will not give any details of the trust fund or even whether it still exists. My sons father will also not speak to us or provide any help.

How can we find out?

My son turns 21 in 8 months and this is the age the grandfather said it would mature.

Thank you

Viv

EstatesOrTrusts Editor 04/04/2017 at 10:10 am

How old are you? If you're over 18 and the trusts are in your name, seek advice from a legal professional. They may be able to help you access the details of the trusts at the very least.

Dennis 03/04/2017 at 4:21 am

I have a two trust funda in my name that both my parents have put in place for me. My father is in prison and my mother has bipolar as are therefore being spiteful and nit allowing me to have them. Could you help or should i get over it?

EstatesOrTrusts Editor 16/03/2015 at 12:31 pm

@geobhoy70. There is a form on the HMRC website to trace a CTF here

geobhoy70 12/03/2015 at 4:20 pm

I would like to trace a government child trust fund for my son who was born on the 28th of July 2005 we never opened one up but seemingly the government did this for you after a certain amount of time we have never had any correspondence whatsoever from anyone about this I would be obliged if you could help us out please

hails 03/07/2012 at 5:07 pm

I would like to ask If there is anyway to trace my own trust fund that was opened for me a child. I was born in south africa and moved to england when I was 7 and the account was opened over there. What are my options with this?

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