If you were born between 1 September 2002 and 2 January 2011, you almost certainly have a Child Trust Fund (CTF) — a tax-free savings pot the government opened for you with a £250 or £500 voucher. Around 758,000 matured accounts sit unclaimed, worth more than £1.7 billion between them and an average of roughly £2,242 each. The money is legally yours and there is no deadline to claim it. You can trace a lost CTF for free in minutes using HMRC’s official “find a Child Trust Fund” tool on GOV.UK — never pay a finder’s fee.
What a Child Trust Fund is and who has one
Child Trust Funds were the Labour government’s flagship savings scheme for a whole generation of children. Every child born in the UK between 1 September 2002 and 2 January 2011 was given a voucher to open a long-term, tax-free account: £250 for most families, or £500 for those on lower incomes. Many children received a second top-up of the same size at around age seven before that part of the scheme was withdrawn. Parents could then add money over the years, and any growth stayed free of income tax and capital gains tax.
The scheme closed to new accounts in January 2011, replaced by the Junior ISA. But the accounts already opened kept growing quietly in the background. Crucially, if a parent never got round to opening one with the voucher, HMRC opened an account on the child’s behalf with a chosen provider — which is exactly why so many young adults today have money they have never heard about. You do not need to remember signing anything to have one.
A CTF is not the same as a Junior ISA, and you cannot hold both at once. If you are researching accounts for a younger child rather than tracing an old CTF, our guides to the best Junior ISAs in the UK for 2026 and how a Junior ISA works in 2026 are the better place to start.
Why hundreds of thousands of funds go unclaimed
A Child Trust Fund matures on the child’s 18th birthday. At that point it stops being a children’s account and the young adult can take the cash or move it elsewhere. The first CTFs matured in September 2020, and a fresh wave reaches 18 every single month — those born in 2007 and 2008 are turning 18 across 2025 and 2026 right now.
The problem is that huge numbers of 18-to-23-year-olds have no idea the money exists. Families moved house, providers changed names, paperwork was lost, or the account was opened automatically by HMRC and never mentioned. According to figures reported in late 2025, roughly 758,000 matured accounts remain unclaimed, holding more than £1.7 billion between them — an average of about £2,242 per account. That is a meaningful sum for a young person starting out, sitting idle simply because nobody knows to ask for it.
| Born between | Turns 18 between | Have a CTF? |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Sep 2002 – 31 Dec 2004 | 2020 – 2022 | Yes — already matured |
| 1 Jan 2005 – 31 Dec 2006 | 2023 – 2024 | Yes — already matured |
| 1 Jan 2007 – 31 Dec 2008 | 2025 – 2026 | Yes — maturing now |
| 1 Jan 2009 – 2 Jan 2011 | 2027 – 2029 | Yes — still to mature |
How to find a Child Trust Fund for free
You do not need to know your provider, and you should never pay anyone to do this for you. HMRC runs a free official tool called “find a Child Trust Fund” on GOV.UK that tells you which provider holds the account. Search “find a Child Trust Fund” on gov.uk, or go straight to the government tax service, and you can request the details online.
If you are 16 or over and looking for your own account, the main thing you need is your National Insurance number. If you do not have it to hand, you can find it in the HMRC app, on a payslip, or you can request it separately. Once you submit the request online, HMRC usually writes back within about three weeks to tell you who your provider is. You then contact that provider directly to see the balance and claim the money.
A parent or guardian can trace a child’s CTF too, using the same tool. For a child under 18 you will need their full name, date of birth and address, plus any previous names the family has used; the child’s National Insurance number helps but is not essential. One important limit: the HMRC tool tells you where the account is, not how much is in it — only the provider can confirm the balance.
- Use only GOV.UK or your provider. The tracing service is completely free — ignore any company charging a “finder’s fee” or taking a percentage of your money.
- Have your National Insurance number ready before you start; it is the quickest route to a match.
- Ask family which provider they used — names like OneFamily, Foresters, NatWest and Columbia Threadneedle are common CTF managers.
- Check old post and email for annual statements, which reveal the provider instantly.
- Contact The Share Foundation if you are looking on behalf of a young person in care or with a learning disability — it helps trace and access funds for free.
- Be patient with the three-week wait; the money is not going anywhere and there is no claim deadline.
Your options once the fund matures at 18
When you turn 18 and get access, you are in full control and there is no wrong answer — but the default option is rarely the best one. Broadly you have three choices: take the cash out and spend or save it elsewhere, leave it sitting with the existing provider, or transfer it into an adult ISA to keep it growing tax-free.
The most valuable thing to understand is the ISA transfer rule. When a matured CTF is moved directly into an adult ISA, that transfer does not use up any of your £20,000 annual ISA allowance. So a £2,242 CTF can go straight into a Stocks and Shares ISA or cash ISA and you still have your full £20,000 to use on new savings that year. This is a genuine perk unique to matured Child Trust Funds — but it only works if the money moves as a transfer rather than being withdrawn and paid back in.
Which route suits you depends on your goals. If you will need the money soon — a car, a deposit, university costs — a competitive easy-access or fixed savings account keeps it safe, especially with Bank Rate at 3.75% still supporting reasonable savings rates. If you can leave it invested for five years or more, a Stocks and Shares ISA gives it a chance to grow faster, though the value can fall as well as rise. The illustration below shows how an average £2,242 pot might differ over ten years under three simple, hypothetical outcomes.
Leaving the money where it is can be the worst option: many matured CTFs roll into a “protected” account that may pay little interest and is not the young adult’s active choice of home. Deciding on purpose — even if the decision is a simple cash ISA — almost always beats doing nothing.
| Option at 18 | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Withdraw as cash | A known, near-term spending need | Money loses its tax-free wrapper once out |
| Transfer to cash ISA | Safety and access within a few years | Growth limited to the interest rate |
| Transfer to Stocks & Shares ISA | Long-term growth, 5+ year horizon | Value can fall; not for short timeframes |
| Leave with existing provider | Almost nobody — usually a default | Often low interest and forgotten again |
Making the money work harder
Once you have claimed the cash, the next question is where it will do the most good. If you are choosing an investment home, our roundup of the best Stocks and Shares ISA platforms in the UK for 2026 compares fees and features, while savers who want to keep money aside for a younger sibling can look at the best savings accounts for children. And if you are an 18-year-old getting your first payslip alongside this windfall, it is worth seeing how much of your wages you actually keep — run the numbers through our free take-home pay calculator so you can plan around real figures rather than gross salary.
Found your fund? Put it to work.
For more UK money-saving guides, visit GetSmartSaver.
Explore GetSmartSaver →Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find a lost Child Trust Fund?
Use HMRC’s free “find a Child Trust Fund” tool on GOV.UK. If you are 16 or over searching for your own account, you mainly need your National Insurance number. HMRC usually replies within about three weeks telling you which provider holds the account, and you then contact that provider to claim it. Never pay a finder’s fee — the service is free.
How much is the average Child Trust Fund worth?
Figures reported in late 2025 put the average unclaimed matured Child Trust Fund at roughly £2,242. Around 758,000 accounts remain unclaimed, worth more than £1.7 billion in total. Individual balances vary widely depending on the starting voucher and any money added over the years, so the only way to know yours is to trace it and ask the provider.
Who is eligible for a Child Trust Fund?
Every child born in the UK between 1 September 2002 and 2 January 2011 was given a Child Trust Fund voucher — £250 for most families and £500 for those on lower incomes. Even if your parents never opened the account, HMRC opened one on your behalf, so almost everyone in that birth window has one.
Can I move a Child Trust Fund into an ISA without using my allowance?
Yes. When a matured Child Trust Fund is transferred directly into an adult ISA, it does not count towards your £20,000 annual ISA allowance. This applies to cash ISAs and Stocks and Shares ISAs. It only works as a direct transfer, though — if you withdraw the cash and pay it in yourself, it will use your allowance.
Is there a deadline to claim a Child Trust Fund?
No. The money is legally yours and there is no time limit on claiming it. An unclaimed matured fund usually sits in a protected account, often earning little interest, until you come forward. That is why it pays to trace and claim it sooner rather than later, so you can move it somewhere that works harder.
Can a parent find a child’s Child Trust Fund?
Yes. A parent or guardian can use the same free HMRC tool for a child under 18. You will need the child’s full name, date of birth and address, plus any previous names used; their National Insurance number helps but is not essential. Remember the tool only reveals the provider, not the balance — the provider confirms how much is in the account.
Last reviewed: July 2026. This article is for general information only and does not constitute financial advice. Rules, figures and unclaimed-fund totals can change — always check the official “find a Child Trust Fund” service on GOV.UK and speak to your account provider for guidance on your own circumstances.
