A staggering £80 billion in wealth remains unclaimed across Britain because millions of people are avoiding crucial conversations about death with their families, according to new research.
The Scale of Silence
Fresh data from Legacy Hub reveals that the British "stiff-upper-lip" mentality is creating a massive financial and emotional crisis for bereaved families. The study found that around 34 percent of Britons have never discussed their final wishes with relatives, covering everything from funeral preferences to important document locations.
The reasons for this communication breakdown are varied but telling. Forty-three percent admit they find the subject too upsetting to broach, while a quarter consider it "too morbid." Nearly one in five people (19 percent) simply don't know how to start the conversation, despite death being a universal rite of passage.
Real-Life Consequences
The research highlights how this widespread reluctance to discuss mortality has resulted in £80 billion of unclaimed assets because grieving families cannot locate wills, investments, or insurance policies after their loved ones pass away.
Lottie Tomlinson, sister to former One Direction star Louis Tomlinson, understands this tragedy all too well. She was just 18 when her mother died from leukaemia in 2016, and her family suffered another devastating loss when her younger sister Félicité died from an accidental overdose three years later.
"I feel like we weren't prepared at all," said the 27-year-old mother of two. "It was such a shock. You can't ever fully prepare for losing someone, but you can plan for it. A situation that's already going to be so painful can be made a tiny bit easier with planning."
Tomlinson believes her sister's struggle with grief might have been different if she'd felt more comfortable discussing their mother's loss. "When I bottled things up, I went to dark places," she revealed. "I was lucky to come out of that, but some people aren't so lucky. If we can all get more comfortable talking about it, it could save lives."
A Digital Solution
Legacy Hub aims to tackle this problem by providing a secure digital vault where people can store their final wishes and important documents. Founder David Alexander noted the irony in how Britons plan other life events compared to death.
"We plan weddings, birthdays, and even holidays in meticulous detail, but when it comes to death, most of us just cross our fingers and hope for the best," Alexander said. "That silence means families are left in chaos, not knowing what someone wanted or where to find vital information when they pass away."
The service not only stores practical information but also preserves precious memories, helping loved ones find comfort and connection during their most difficult times. Tomlinson treasures the keepsakes from her mother and sister, including cards from her prom night, emphasizing how "those messages mean so much because when you lose someone, you lose those words they gave you."
She advocates for the service, stating that "planning for the future and sharing your wishes is so important. Having an app like Legacy Hub makes it easy and safe to store those wishes so your family know exactly what you want. It can be the difference between your family being able to grieve properly, or it becoming a whole lot harder."
