Disgraced Jimmy Savile's £4.3m assets frozen as compensation claims loom THE heirs to Jimmy Savile's estate, worth an estimated £4.3 million, may face a legal battle after it was frozen in light of abuse claims. NatWest Bank, which is acting as the late TV presenter and DJ's executor, confirmed it had put the distribution of his wealth on hold. It could now be used to pay compensation to more than 300 alleged victims over 40 years. Last night, the Jimmy Savile Charitable Trust and the presenter's nephew, Roger Foster, declined to comment on the move by NatWest. A spokeswoman for the trust said it was considering its response. Emma Jones, who specialises in abuse claims at solicitors Leigh Day and Co, said: "I would expect, on the civil side of things, individuals will approach claimant lawyers. They will discuss potential cases and how long ago the alleged abuse took place. If someone can prove - on the balance of probabilities - that abuse took place, if they suffered damage, they are entitled to compensation. Claims could be made against Savile's former employer, the BBC, or the NHS trusts he volunteered for, if they are found to be negligent. However, Ms Jones believes it is more likely it would be made against the Savile estate. My argument is, if one can prove Jimmy Savile committed abuse, and if you are awarded £20,000 for that abuse, then surely the claimant can make the claim against the estate, rather than, say, an NHS trust," she added. She said it would be impossible to estimate the value of each claim, or how much they might be worth in total. "It depends on the frequency of the abuse, the nature of the abuse, how much it has impacted on their lives," Ms Jones said. The estate reportedly includes £3.7m, less expenses, being held by NatWest on behalf of the Jimmy Savile Charitable Trust. A further £600,000 is said to have been destined for a trust fund, with eight friends or relatives to benefit from the interest. And £20,000 was to be shared between other family members, friends and relatives. Savile also reportedly wanted to leave gold rings to a nephew, and a photo of him with the Beatles to a niece. NatWest said in a statement: "Given the claims raised, distribution of the estate has been put on hold. Savile's intended individual beneficiaries reportedly include the trustees of both his charities and existing and former employees of Leeds General Infirmary and Broadmoor Hospital. Police are investigating claims that the star, who died in October last year, sexually assaulted individuals at both Leeds General Infirmary and Broadmoor Hospital. Alan Collins from legal company Pannone, said: "Pannone are also actively pursuing inquiries into Savile's overseas assets, which we believe are being administered in Guernsey." Savile's charities, the Leeds-based Jimmy Savile Charitable Trust and Jimmy Savile Stoke Mandeville Hospital Trust, have already announced they are to close after their trustees decided that keeping them open could be "damaging" to the causes they support.