Figures in this article are from HMRC's Annual savings statistics, published 16 September 2026, and cover accounts to April 2026.

Child Trust Funds (CTFs) were tax-free savings accounts set up for children born between 1 September 2002 and 2 January 2011. Many young adults have an account they've never claimed. According to HMRC, about 827,000 matured accounts were still waiting to be claimed in April 2026.

Who has a Child Trust Fund?

If you were born between 1 September 2002 and 2 January 2011 and lived in the UK, an account was usually opened for you. The government paid in an initial amount, normally £250 (more for children in lower-income families), with a second payment at age 7 for some children. These payments were reduced from August 2010 and stopped from January 2011. If your parent or guardian didn't open an account, the government opened one on your behalf.

The scheme closed to new children in 2011 and was replaced by Junior ISAs. Families can still pay up to £9,000 a year into an existing CTF until it matures. A child can take control of the account at 16.

What happens at 18

The account matures on your 18th birthday. You can then take the money out or transfer it into an adult ISA. Until you do, it stays in an account that no one else can access.

How many accounts are unclaimed

The oldest accounts matured in September 2020. By April 2026:

The average value of a matured account still held as a CTF was £2,310 in April 2026. Values vary widely, depending on what was paid in and how the money was invested.

How to find your Child Trust Fund

• If you know the provider: contact it directly.

• If you don't: ask your parent or guardian, or use HMRC's free online tool, "Find a Child Trust Fund" tool on GOV.UK. You can use it if you're 16 or over, or a parent or guardian of a child under 18.

• What you'll need: your National Insurance number (and adoption details, if they apply). Parents need the child's full name, address, date of birth and any previous names.

• What happens next: HMRC usually writes to you within three weeks with the name of the provider. It won't tell you how much is in the account. If you don't hear back within six weeks, you can write to HMRC.

You don't need to pay a company to find your account. The FCA has warned that some firms charge a large fee or a share of the payout, and it has seen cases where people paid £400 to locate an account (FCA, 1 September 2026). The Share Foundation also offers a free tracing service.

Read more:

• Savings accounts guide

• Cash ISAs and stocks and shares ISAs compared