What is a Child Trust Fund?
A Child Trust Fund is a tax-free savings account for children. It was set up if:
- You were born between 1 September 2002 and 2 January 2011, and
- Your parents or guardian received Child Benefit
You might also have an account if you were in care and being looked after by your local authority.
How much money is in a Child Trust Fund?
Most accounts were opened with a £250 deposit from the government, and parents or guardians could deposit up to £9,000 a year. So, with interest or investment growth, they could be worth a lot more now.
The average unclaimed Child Trust Fund is worth around £2,200.
How many Child Trust Funds are unclaimed?
If you know who your Child Trust Fund is held with, contact them and they’ll let you know your next steps.
More than 725,000 Child Trust Funds worth £1.4 billion are currently unclaimed.
How do I trace and claim a lost Child Trust Fund?
If you know who your Child Trust Fund is held with, contact them and they’ll let you know your next steps.
If you’re not sure if you have a Child Trust Fund, or you’ve lost the details, Find your Child Trust Fund for free at GOV.UK.
You can also use The Share Foundation’s free tool to locate it.
Do I need to pay to trace my Child Trust Fund?
No – don’t pay to find your Fund!
The tools we’ve listed above are free, and you only need your National Insurance number, date of birth, and ten minutes of your time to do it.
More information on Child Trust Funds is available through the government-backed Money and Pensions Service.