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Original poster

Disappointed we didn’t save in child trust fund?

163 replies

Bambootrees · 11/04/2025 22:42

DD is turning 18 and received the letter, she has £559. It was always in the back of my mind but never sorted it out.

We have spent in other things for them and given them lots of experiences, invested in their education, trips, opportunities, etc; but I can’t help feeling disappointed; especially since other friends are receiving letters and their parents have invested/saved.

OP posts:
blueshoes · 11/04/2025 23:30

Bambootrees · 11/04/2025 23:20

Any advice on which stock and share ISA she could do?

If your dd is going to use the 559 to buy a car imminently, it is very risky to put it in stocks and shares at the moment. Trump has completely tanked the markets in the last month by his tariffs announcements. Even his 90 day pause on tariffs yesterday has still left the markets battered and investors wary. There is talk of a worldwide recession.

Now is not the best time to invest in stocks and shares unless dd does not need the money for a long time and can wait for the markets to recover.

Original poster
Bambootrees · 11/04/2025 23:30

Thank you all. I am going to have a chat to them about moving it to a more profitable one and save some of their pocket money and we start putting a bit too.

OP posts:
SwedishEdith · 11/04/2025 23:29

I had one eligible for a CTF and one 8 years older. Could never have saved for the eldest so didn't with the CTF. The fallout if one child had got tens of thousands and the other nothing doesn't bear thinking about. That's how I rationalise it.

Tea2cups · 11/04/2025 23:28

A SIPP with passive trackers nothing fancy.

Original poster
Bambootrees · 11/04/2025 23:27

BertieBottsEveryFlavourBeans · 11/04/2025 23:22

I deal with these accounts at work, you get a huge range of how much is in the accounts when the child turns 18, some have a ridiculous amount of money (nearly enough to pay my mortgage off) but it's way more common for it to be a few hundred because no more money has been invested.

I wouldn't feel bad OP, console yourself with the fact that at 18 most of it would probably have been wasted on absolute rubbish (it would have if it was me at 18 🤣) Sounds like you did your best to give your kids a great childhood.

Thanks. They have had lots of opportunities; you can’t do everything I guess.

Just moving it to a more profitable one earlier on and saving a few pounds a month would have been good; not much we can do now. Lesson learned. Will look at moving it somewhere else including DD14 which received only half.

OP posts:
YawnSoTired · 11/04/2025 23:26

Americanlaw · 11/04/2025 23:11

Gosh, please don’t worry.
i stupidly didn’t change the address when we moved, so although I’d put it in a good fund, we lost whatever we’d earned. It’s just as well as she became trans and would have spent it on testosterone. So kind of glad.

You do know you can still trace this lost account if you want to?

curious79 · 11/04/2025 23:25

ps. I selected the most high risk / volatile funds

RM2013 · 11/04/2025 23:25

Same here. My just turned 18yo will just get the basic. We weren’t in a position to top it up but grandparents gifted both DC some
money from an inheritance they’d had and that enabled them both to buy their first cars. We’ve supported them in other ways as best as we were able

curious79 · 11/04/2025 23:24

I put an additional £3k into my DD’s over c5 yrs. it’s now worth £22k. She’s 16

BertieBottsEveryFlavourBeans · 11/04/2025 23:22

I deal with these accounts at work, you get a huge range of how much is in the accounts when the child turns 18, some have a ridiculous amount of money (nearly enough to pay my mortgage off) but it's way more common for it to be a few hundred because no more money has been invested.

I wouldn't feel bad OP, console yourself with the fact that at 18 most of it would probably have been wasted on absolute rubbish (it would have if it was me at 18 🤣) Sounds like you did your best to give your kids a great childhood.

MadeofCoffee · 11/04/2025 23:21

We didn't either for both our dc @Americanlaw - we traced it though and our eldest just got his. As an aside, we chose what we thought was the safest/recommended option for his but it's lost £20! Youngest dc's is up to £800 (on green businesses so thought risky at the time and still has a few years to go!)

BurgundyZero · 11/04/2025 23:21

What would be so beneficial? Start putting aside money in a savings account for her now, a little every payday. Keep it for her for when she is 34 and despairing of ever saving enough for a house deposit.

It'll be so much more appreciated and wisely spent then.

Original poster
Bambootrees · 11/04/2025 23:20

Any advice on which stock and share ISA she could do?

OP posts:
Original poster
Bambootrees · 11/04/2025 23:18

wishiwasupahill · 11/04/2025 23:16

Don’t beat yourself up about this. You’ve supported her in other ways, it doesn’t matter that you missed this one particular option / opportunity.

Help her buy a car now (she will absolutely get something decent for £2k), and if you are in a position to, tell her to keep the £500 and investor for her for growth (ie stocks and shares, not cash).

Dont stress X

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Thanks will do that, I didn’t even think the funds were in cash and not stocks 😧

OP posts:
wishiwasupahill · 11/04/2025 23:16

Bambootrees · 11/04/2025 23:06

Probably. I got the letter in front of me. Feel even more disappointed now.

Maybe I ask her to move it and she can start saving?

Show quote history

Don’t beat yourself up about this. You’ve supported her in other ways, it doesn’t matter that you missed this one particular option / opportunity.

Help her buy a car now (she will absolutely get something decent for £2k), and if you are in a position to, tell her to keep the £500 and investor for her for growth (ie stocks and shares, not cash).

Dont stress X

Auldy · 11/04/2025 23:16

Trumpsgoneloco · 11/04/2025 23:03

Well I would have loved the opportunity but the scheme closed before I had dc.

We had one child within the CTF era and one just after so we had to open a junior ISA for the youngest otherwise it just wouldn't have been fair.

Original poster
Bambootrees · 11/04/2025 23:16

Tea2cups · 11/04/2025 22:59

I got mine to use their money to start a pension! Boring but again it wasn't much (oops) and I can pay a small amount into their pension monthly until they start work and can do it themselves.

This is an idea also. What pension did you do? Any advice?

OP posts:
Pessismistic · 11/04/2025 23:14

Americanlaw · 11/04/2025 23:11

Gosh, please don’t worry.
i stupidly didn’t change the address when we moved, so although I’d put it in a good fund, we lost whatever we’d earned. It’s just as well as she became trans and would have spent it on testosterone. So kind of glad.

I thought the government said the trust fund was traceable you just have to contact them or your dc does. Some people forgot who they banked it with and some didn’t bother but the government done it for them so it should still be available.

Middleagedstriker · 11/04/2025 23:13

Bambootrees · 11/04/2025 23:00

Yes, we could have dome similar; DD would have been delighted with 2k or 3k. I can’t help to feel disappointed. She is not a spoiled child and quite conscious but have mentioned some of the other parents of her friends have saved. I know she was disappointed but didn’t want to say much and said it is ok I still got £500.

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Well tell her 3 out of my 4 got it (around £500 mark) but the youngest won't and there is no way we can save it for her due to ill health and other costs. Life can be a bit unfair but most kids now won't get it.

Americanlaw · 11/04/2025 23:11

Gosh, please don’t worry.
i stupidly didn’t change the address when we moved, so although I’d put it in a good fund, we lost whatever we’d earned. It’s just as well as she became trans and would have spent it on testosterone. So kind of glad.

Original poster
Bambootrees · 11/04/2025 23:10

Pessismistic · 11/04/2025 23:09

Probably can get the car not sure about insurance it’s very expensive for the young new drivers. You should not feel guilty you sound like you have given her a good upbringing like someone else said some kids get loads and blow it on crap at least your dd is grateful for the amount she has it’s better than nothing.

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Thank you. We certainly want them to learn to value things. They have had good opportunities but DH and I have worked hard to get to where we are.

OP posts:
Original poster
Bambootrees · 11/04/2025 23:09

Eggsboxedandmelting · 11/04/2025 23:02

My mate scrimped and saved and her ds got 8k..
Blasted the lot on 10 months. Nothing to show for it whatsoever..
Imagine having to witness that?. He had a great job and didn't even pay board.. An absolute tosser imo.
Your dc has some memories to bank away instead of cash.
Worth more imo.

Thank you, agree hopefully the experiences will make up for it, I just think a few thousand would have help her to buy a car.

I may suggest to her to move it to a stock and share isa and start saving on it.

OP posts:
Pessismistic · 11/04/2025 23:09

Bambootrees · 11/04/2025 23:04

Yes, I think we may have to do that. She has been looking at lots of second hand cars. Can she get something decent to start for 2k?

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Probably can get the car not sure about insurance it’s very expensive for the young new drivers. You should not feel guilty you sound like you have given her a good upbringing like someone else said some kids get loads and blow it on crap at least your dd is grateful for the amount she has it’s better than nothing.

Original poster
Bambootrees · 11/04/2025 23:06

blueshoes · 11/04/2025 23:03

If the CTF only earned 59 in 18 years, you probably left it in cash rather than a stocks and shares CTF. That latter would have most likely grown exponentially in 18 years even without even for you to contribute anything further.

I am guessing that is how the poster who also did not add anything ended up with a 1,600 CTF for her dd.

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Probably. I got the letter in front of me. Feel even more disappointed now.

Maybe I ask her to move it and she can start saving?

OP posts:
Original poster
Bambootrees · 11/04/2025 23:04

Pessismistic · 11/04/2025 23:01

Have you got the money to help with the car now?

Show quote history

Yes, I think we may have to do that. She has been looking at lots of second hand cars. Can she get something decent to start for 2k?

OP posts: