750,000 Child Trust Funds are unclaimed. Here’s how to find out if one is yours

Over 750,000 Child Trust Fund accounts are sitting unclaimed across the UK, holding an estimated £1.5 billion between them. The average unclaimed account is worth around £2,200. HMRC began writing to 21-year-olds about their accounts following a HM Treasury announcement on 23 April 2026, but you do not need to wait for a letter. Anyone born between 1 September 2002 and 2 January 2011 can check for free right now.

What is a Child Trust Fund?

Child Trust Funds were government-backed, tax-free savings accounts introduced in 2005 for every child born in the UK between 1 September 2002 and 2 January 2011. The government deposited at least £250 into each account at birth, with an extra £250 for children from low-income families or those in local authority care. Family and friends could add up to £9,000 a year. The money was locked until age 18, and has been accumulating since.

Accounts were opened automatically by HMRC, which is why so many people are unaware they have one. Common reasons for accounts going unclaimed include address changes, lost paperwork, and children who grew up in care and were never told the account existed.

Two-thirds of the six million people who received these accounts are now over 18 and eligible to access their money.

Why HMRC is sending letters now

HMRC is writing to all 21-year-olds whose accounts remain unclaimed. The government is targeting this age group because 21-year-olds are most likely to have interacted with HMRC through PAYE or student finance, meaning their current address is more likely to be accurate. Receiving a letter means there is a strong likelihood an account exists in your name.

The money does not disappear if left unclaimed, it simply waits. But the longer it sits without attention, the greater the risk it is forgotten entirely.

⚠  Scam warning: read this before you do anything

HMRC only contacts Child Trust Fund holders by post. Any email, text message, or phone call claiming to relate to a Child Trust Fund is a scam. You can forward suspicious texts to 60599. For suspicious emails, forward to phishing@hmrc.gov.uk. Do not click links or share personal details in response to unsolicited contact.

How to find your Child Trust Fund for free

You do not need a letter from HMRC and you do not need a paid third-party service. Some firms advertise CTF tracing and charge £100 or more, or take up to 25% of the account value, for doing 5 minutes of admin for you. The official GOV.UK tool is entirely free, takes around five minutes, and requires the same information those firms would ask you for anyway.

1.     Go to gov.uk/child-trust-funds/find-a-child-trust-fund

2.     Sign in with a GOV.UK One Login or Government Gateway ID

3.     Enter your name, date of birth, address, and National Insurance number

4.     HMRC will respond within three weeks with the name of the provider holding the account

5.     Contact the provider directly using contact details from their official website to access the funds

If you already know which provider holds your account, you can contact them directly without using the tracing tool.

What to do once you find your account

Once you have confirmed the account with the provider, you can withdraw the money, leave it invested, or transfer it to an adult ISA or Junior ISA without losing the tax-free status. There is no deadline for doing so.