Parents need to check for lost bank account with £2,200 unclaimed cash, says HMRC

Scottish Sun

7 hours ago

Plus, we've explained what to do with the money
CASH IN Parents need to check for lost bank account with £2,200 unclaimed cash, says HMRC
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HUNDREDS of thousands of young people could be missing out on £2,200 sitting in forgotten savings accounts, according to HMRC.
These accounts, known as Child Trust Funds, were set up for every child born between September 2002 and January 2011.
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Once you know who the provider is, you can contact them to withdraw or transfer the money
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A staggering £1.4billion belonging to 671,000 young people is waiting to be claimed, but many don't know these accounts exist or that they can access the money.
HMRC said the average savings pot is worth £2,212.
It is now urging parents to check if their children are eligible.
In a post on X, they said: "If your child is between 18 and 22, they can cash in their #ChildTrustFund. The average amount claimed is £2,200."
Parents can check for Child Trust Funds on the HMRC website at gov.uk/child-trust-funds/find-a-child-trust-fund.
You need to be over 16 or a parent to use the service.
To check for your child, you'll need their full name, address, and date of birth.
To check for yourself, you'll need your name, address, date of birth, and National Insurance number.
The tool will tell you which provider holds the Child Trust Fund, but it won't show how much money is in the account.
Once you've filled in the form, HMRC will send you a letter with the details.
If you apply online, you should get this within three weeks.
Postal applications may take a bit longer.
If you don't hear back within six weeks, you should write to HMRC to follow up.
Once you know who the provider is, you can contact them to withdraw or transfer the money.
What are Child Trust Funds?
CHILD Trust Funds are tax-free savings accounts that were set up by the Government for children born between September 2002 and January 2011.
The Government paid £250 into each account, or £500 for children from low-income families.
Another payment was made when the child turned seven, depending on their family's financial situation.
In 2010, payments were reduced to £50 for well-off families and £100 for lower-income households.
The scheme was scrapped in 2011 and replaced by Junior ISAs.
Many parents stopped adding money to the accounts, and they were forgotten.
The funds are held by banks, building societies, and other savings providers - not by the Government.
Young people can take control of their account at 16 but can only withdraw the money when they turn 18.
What can I do with the cash?
Most people transfer the money into a bank account, invest it, or move it into an ISA.
You can ask your Child Trust Fund provider to pay the money directly into your bank account by providing your bank details.
If you'd prefer to invest the money, you can transfer it into an ISA for tax-free savings.
If you transfer money from a Child Trust Fund into an adult ISA when it matures, it won't count towards your £20,000 annual ISA limit for over-18s.
For those under 18, it's often better to move the money into a Junior ISA.
Junior ISAs usually have lower fees and more investment options, according to AJ Bell.
The money will stay locked until you turn 18, but you'll still get the tax-free benefits of an ISA.
You can transfer the full amount from the Child Trust Fund into a Junior ISA and still add up to £9,000 more in the same tax year.