Residents across New South Wales (NSW) are being encouraged to claim nearly $300 million in unclaimed cheques, dividends, and refunds held by the state government. Revenue NSW is currently managing over 800,000 unclaimed sums of money, which range from small amounts to millions, and the government is reaching out to those who may be entitled to these funds.
The unclaimed money pool includes funds that remain unclaimed due to various reasons, such as lost paperwork, changes in contact details, or estates unaware of funds belonging to deceased relatives. Notably, as of 2026, a staggering $91 million remained unclaimed in Sydney’s central business district and eastern suburbs. In western Sydney, the figure sits at $76 million, while the Central Coast and Hunter regions have $22 million in unclaimed funds. Other areas include more than $8 million in the central and far west, $5.7 million in the Capital Region, and $10.5 million in the Illawarra and Southern Highlands.
According to NSW Finance Minister Courtney Houssos, the government aims to ensure that as much of this fund as possible finds its way back to families. “While Revenue NSW regularly contacts potential owners, incomplete data means people are sometimes missed,” said Houssos. She encouraged everyone to take a few minutes to check online, as many may be surprised by what they find.
In 2024, the Labor government upgraded Revenue NSW’s systems to streamline and expedite the unclaimed money process. This included enhanced integration with Service NSW and a reduction in the time frame for businesses holding unclaimed money from six years to two. “Last financial year, Revenue NSW returned more than $21 million to its rightful owners,” Houssos noted, adding that the new reforms will make it faster and easier for individuals to claim what they are owed.
Residents can search for their unclaimed funds by visiting the Revenue NSW website. In a related development, the Victorian government announced in August 2024 that it holds over $200 million in its own unclaimed money pool, highlighting the widespread issue of unclaimed funds across Australia. Noteworthy cases include a resident from Box Hill with $882,697 waiting to be claimed, a woman from Plenty owed $869,129, and another from Nunawading with $677,001 pending, according to the Herald Sun.
The NSW government is actively working to reunite residents with their unclaimed funds, reinforcing the importance of checking for any potential financial windfalls that may be rightfully theirs.
