Child Trust Fund Guide

🌱 What Are Child Trust Funds?

Child Trust Funds (CTFs) were created by the UK government to help young people start saving early. If you were born between 1 September 2002 and 2 January 2011, you likely have one!

Each eligible child received £250–£500 to kickstart their savings, and families could add more over time. If your parents didn’t open an account, the government did it for you automatically. These accounts become accessible when you turn 18, and you can either withdraw the money or reinvest it.

📊 What’s Happening Now?

• Around 758,000 young people aged 18–23 haven’t claimed their matured accounts yet.
• The average value of an unclaimed CTF is £2,242.
• Many of these accounts were opened for children from low-income families, so this money could make a real difference.

❓ Why Haven’t People Claimed Them?

• A lot of young people simply don’t know they have one.
• Some parents forgot or didn’t tell their children.
• A recent survey found that 51% of 16–18-year-olds were unaware of CTFs.
• If your parents didn’t open the account, HMRC did it for you, which can make it harder to track.

✅ How to Check If You Have One

If you think you or someone you know might have a Child Trust Fund, it’s easy to find out!

🔗 Visit: https://findctf.sharefound.org/

You’ll need:

• Your National Insurance number
• Your date of birth

It only takes about 5 minutes to submit a request, and you’ll get a response in under 3 weeks.💬 Spread the word! If you know someone born between 2002 and 2011, let them know they might have money waiting for them.