SERVICE TRACES YOUR 'LOST' CASH

As your financial affairs get more complicated it's all too easy to lose track of few hundred pounds rattling around in a dusty old forgotten account.

In this region (South West), an estimated £84 million is sitting unclaimed in accounts.

But there's no excuse. More and more savers are using tracing services to reclaim their cash.

National Savings and Investments (NS&I) has reunited 15,000 people with more than £15 million in forgotten savings since it launched its free tracing service three years ago.

But some £200 million in its now-closed Ordinary Savings accounts remains unclaimed.

The total traced so far is nearly double that traced this time last year - up from £8.2 million to £15.2 million.

And numbers of traces are 60 per cent up on last year. A quarter of all traces are successful.

Most people who lose touch with their money do so because they have moved home and forgotten to inform their financial providers.

"Many people are quite literally just walking away from their money when they move home," said NS&I's head of sales development Paul Knight.

"It is vitally important that you give all your financial providers your new address so we can stay in touch with you.

l NS&I's free tracing service helps customers locate any lost or forgotten funds, and there is no time limit on claiming back any money.

The tracing service form is available from 0845 964 5000 or www.nsandi.com.

The British Bankers Association and the Building Societies Association also provide free tracing services enabling customers to locate their funds.

Fact file

Three years of NS&I money tracing

Half the £15 million traced so far - £6.6 million - is in Premium Bonds

A further £5.1 million is in Savings Certificates

Dormant NS&I savings accounts, bonds and certificates in the South West, £84 million (South East £143 million)

86 people were reunited with their lost Pensioners Guaranteed Income Bonds - together worth more than £1 million.