Every year approximately 250,000 people go missing across the United Kingdom. Whilst most disappearances are resolved relatively quickly, others continue for weeks, months and even years, leaving family members to cope with the pain of not knowing where their loved one is or what has happened to them.

Yet in addition to this emotional trauma. relatives can encounter a range of practical, financial and legal difficulties as a result of a disappearance. For example, families may face challenges in engaging financial institutions on their relative's behalf, in renegotiating a mortgage held jointly with the missing persons, or in selling jointly-owned property. The consequence of this can be devastating, especially if it puts the missing person’s - and potentially their family's - home at risk.

On 20th June 2013 the Justice Minister Helen Grant MP announced new proposals to create a power of guardianship to help families of missing people deal with a missing loved one's affairs in the months following a disappearance. A consultation with detailed proposals is due to be launched later this year with view to taking a final decision in 2014.

Charity welcomes government proposals for families of missing: https://www.missingpeople.org.uk/missing-people/latest-news/charity-welcomes-government-proposals-for-families-of-missing-people

BBC News story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22977336.

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