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HMRC Says 758,000 Young Adults Haven’t Claimed Child Trust Funds Averaging £2,242

The tax office is directing eligible people to a free GOV.UK tool that typically confirms their provider within three weeks.

Overview

  • Latest official data show 18- to 23-year-olds have left 758,000 matured accounts untouched, each worth about £2,242 on average.
  • The scheme covered those born from 1 September 2002 to 2 January 2011 and began with at least a £250 government deposit before closing in 2011.
  • To locate an account, applicants use a National Insurance number and date of birth via the online search, which saw 563,000 requests in the year to August 2025.
  • Savings are held by banks and other providers, not the government, and HMRC cautions against paying third-party firms to trace accounts.
  • Once found, holders can withdraw the money or transfer it to an adult ISA, with transfers at maturity not counting toward the annual ISA allowance.