A recent press release from HMRC revealed that a surprising 758,000 young people aged 18–23 have money sitting in a Child Trust Fund (CTF) – and haven’t claimed it yet.
That’s a lot of unclaimed savings! The average account is worth £2,242, so it’s definitely worth checking whether you’ve got one waiting for you.
What exactly is a Child Trust Fund?
Child Trust Funds were tax-free savings accounts set up by the government for children born between 1 September 2002 and 2 January 2011.
The idea was to give every child a bit of a financial head start when they reached adulthood.
Although the scheme closed in 2011, many of these accounts are still active — quietly growing in the background. Parents, family or friends could pay in up to £9,000 a year, and any interest earned is completely tax-free.
Once the child turns 16, they can take control of the account, but they can’t withdraw the money until they turn 18.
How to find a missing Child Trust Fund
If you already know which provider your account was with, you can get in touch with them directly.
If you’re not sure, don’t worry, there’s an easy way to find out.
HMRC has a dedicated online service that helps people track down their missing Child Trust Fund. In fact, more than 563,000 people used it in the 12 months to August 2025.
To use the service, you’ll need your National Insurance number (you can find this on the HMRC app if you’re not sure what it is).
If you were adopted, you’ll also need details of your adoption.
Parents or guardians can use the same service to find a child’s account – they’ll just need the child’s full name, date of birth, address (and any previous names if applicable). Having the child’s National Insurance number helps too.
A quick tip: make sure you have everything ready before you start the form – it has to be completed in one go, and you can’t save it partway through.
Once you’ve completed the form, HMRC will tell you which provider holds the account.
They won’t share how much is in it – you’ll need to contact the provider directly to find out your balance.
Why it’s worth checking
Even if you think it’s only a small amount, every bit counts, and with interest added over the years, it could be more than you expect.
If you were born between the 1 September 2002 and 2 January 2011, it’s definitely worth spending a few minutes to check. You could have a nice little surprise waiting for you!
At Accountwise, we’re passionate about helping people make the most of their money, from understanding tax-free savings to getting your finances organised for the future.
