How do I find my Child Trust Fund?

Use the free 'Find a Child Trust Fund' tool on GOV.UK. Sign in with Government Gateway or GOV.UK One Login, give your name, date of birth and National Insurance number, and HMRC tells you which provider holds your account — usually within 3 weeks. It is completely free. The Share Foundation also runs a free finding service, especially for young people who grew up in care.

How much is in a Child Trust Fund?

It varies with what was paid in and how the account was invested, but the average unclaimed account is estimated at around £2,200. Even accounts that only ever received the government starting payment are typically worth hundreds of pounds after years of growth.

Is the Child Trust Fund letter or text I received real?

HMRC has been writing to 21-year-olds with unclaimed accounts since April 2026 — but genuine HMRC contact about Child Trust Funds comes BY POST ONLY. Any text, email, WhatsApp or phone call about your Child Trust Fund is a scam: don't click the link, forward scam texts to 7726, and check the account yourself for free on GOV.UK.

Should I pay a company to find my Child Trust Fund?

No. Some firms charge fees or take a percentage (sometimes hundreds of pounds) for doing exactly what GOV.UK does for free in about 3 weeks. Tracing and claiming your Child Trust Fund costs nothing. Once found, you can withdraw the money or transfer it into an adult ISA.

Find your Child Trust Fund — £2,200 average, 750,000 unclaimed, free to trace

Q: Do I have a Child Trust Fund?

If you were born in the UK between 1 September 2002 and 2 January 2011 and your family claimed Child Benefit, the government opened a Child Trust Fund in your name with a starting payment (£250, or £500 for lower-income families, plus top-ups for some). Around 750,000 of these accounts are still unclaimed, holding about £1.6 billion — roughly £2,200 each on average.

Who has one

Born in the UK between 1 September 2002 and 2 January 2011, with Child Benefit claimed for you — the government opened the account automatically if your parents didn’t.
The government paid in a starting voucher (£250, or £500 for lower-income families), with further top-ups for some children. Family and friends could add more.
The money became yours at 18 — but it doesn’t arrive automatically. It sits with the provider, still invested, until you claim it. That’s why three-quarters of a million accounts are unclaimed.
Grew up in care, or moved house a lot? You’re among the most likely to have a lost account — and The Share Foundation runs a dedicated free finding service.

Find it — free, in 3 steps

Go to GOV.UK and search “Find a Child Trust Fund”. Sign in with Government Gateway or GOV.UK One Login (creating one takes minutes).
Give your details — name, date of birth and National Insurance number. HMRC replies, usually within 3 weeks, naming the provider that holds your account.
Contact the provider for your balance and options.

No NI number or grew up in care? The Share Foundation (sharefound.org) traces Child Trust Funds free of charge and specialises in helping care-experienced young people find theirs. Parents can also trace an account for a child under 18.

What you can do with it

Withdraw it — the provider pays it to your bank account. The money is yours, tax-free.
Transfer it into an adult ISA — keeps it growing tax-free, and a matured CTF transfer doesn’t use up your annual ISA allowance.
Under 18? The account keeps growing until your 18th birthday; at 16 you can take over managing it (but not withdraw).

The scam and the fee trap

Real HMRC contact comes by post only HMRC has been writing to 21-year-olds about unclaimed accounts since April 2026 — by letter. Any text, email, WhatsApp or phone call about your Child Trust Fund is a scam: don’t click the link, don’t give bank details, forward scam texts free to 7726, and run anything suspicious through our scam checker.

Never pay a tracing firm Some companies charge fees — or take a cut of your money — for doing exactly what GOV.UK does free in about 3 weeks. Hundreds of pounds of a £2,200 account can disappear in fees. The official route costs nothing.

Do this now

Born between September 2002 and January 2011 (or your child was)? Spend 15 minutes tonight: search “Find a Child Trust Fund” on GOV.UK and submit the form. The average reply is worth about £2,200.

Know a 19–23-year-old? Tell them — most people with an unclaimed account have no idea it exists.

Source verification Primary source: GOV.UK / HMRC “Find a Child Trust Fund” + The Share Foundation · gov.uk/child-trust-funds. Last verified 11 June 2026. Confidence: High — HMRC April 2026 letters campaign + GOV.UK. Key facts: ~750,000 unclaimed · ~£1.6bn total · ~£2,200 average · born 1 Sep 2002 – 2 Jan 2011 · free trace ~3 weeks. Scope: UK-wide.

Child Trust Funds — common questions

Do I have a Child Trust Fund?

Almost certainly, if you were born in the UK between 1 September 2002 and 2 January 2011 and Child Benefit was claimed for you. The government opened one automatically if your parents didn't.

How much is in it?

The average unclaimed account holds around £2,200 — it varies with what was paid in and investment growth. Even minimum-voucher accounts are typically worth hundreds.

How do I find it?

Free on GOV.UK: search "Find a Child Trust Fund", sign in, give your name, date of birth and NI number. HMRC names your provider within about 3 weeks. The Share Foundation also traces free, especially for care-experienced young people.

Is the text/email I got about it real?

No — genuine HMRC contact about Child Trust Funds is by post only. Texts, emails and calls are scams. Forward texts to 7726 and check the account yourself for free.

What should I do with the money?

Withdraw it tax-free, or transfer it into an adult ISA (a matured-CTF transfer doesn't use your ISA allowance). Never pay a firm to claim it for you.

Sources: Eligibility, free tracing route and timescales · GOV.UK Child Trust Funds. ~750,000 unclaimed accounts / ~£1.6bn / ~£2,200 average + the April 2026 HMRC letters-to-21-year-olds campaign and the post-only scam warning · HMRC announcement as reported by MoneySavingExpert (Apr 2026). Free finding service for care-experienced young people · The Share Foundation (sharefound.org). SortedUK is not HMRC and this is general information, not financial advice. Last reviewed: 11 June 2026.

Born 2002–2011? You may have £2,200 waiting in a Child Trust Fund.