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HMRC Writes to 750,000 21-Year-Olds About Unclaimed Child Trust Funds

Letters point people to their account provider so they can withdraw savings typically worth around £2,000.

Overview

  • The tax authority says about 750,000 Child Trust Fund accounts remain unclaimed with an estimated £1.6 billion uncollected.
  • The letters identify which financial firm holds each person’s account so recipients know who to contact to get their money.
  • People do not need to wait for a letter and can use the free Find a Child Trust Fund tool on GOV.UK, which asks for a National Insurance number, date of birth and a Government Gateway ID.
  • HMRC and MoneySavingExpert warn against scam emails, texts or calls and say official contact is by post and will not disclose balances.
  • Third‑party tracing firms often charge high fees that are not needed, and anyone born between 1 September 2002 and 2 January 2011 can check their status now.