How do I find my child’s trust fund ?

[Howdoyoudodoyoudo]

My child was born in 2007. I remember being told there was £250 put in to a child trust fund by the government and a further £250 for low income families , then the same on their 7th birthday .

I can’t remember if I was low income when they were born - I know my partner worked , not a high wage , we had tax credits . By age 7 we were separated and I’m sure I was low income then ( a long time ago though and I worked on and off so I can’t completely remember ) . They also got DLA , I can’t remember when it was awarded - I know they were diagnosed in 2009/10 so could be an extra payment there . So there could be up to £1000 somewhere for them when they turn 18 in a few months . Could be less but they have read about this and asked so I’ve said “ maybe £250 but I’m not sure “ just in case - but they would be so happy if there was some money coming ! ( if this isn’t obvious , it will all go to my child .. I’ve just said “ maybe 250 , maybe not “ so they don’t bank on it as they’re autistic so will latch on to anything I say so if I say could be 1000 and isn’t , to them they would feel as though they lost 1000 ! I would rather wait until I know for sure then it’s a nice bonus ! )

However , I have moved house a lot . I never added to this and didn’t even know where it was - in all honesty, I forgot . At the time it was a long way off … I wasn’t in a financial position to add to it ( bloody wish I had ). Anyway , I thought about this recently so I contacted HMRC . I have no statements , I’ve moved about 5 times since . I had a letter today with his CTF number and telling me it is with NatWest . I went online to access it and it’s asking me for a ref that will be on statements.

Obviously , I will call them , but have I messed this up for him ? By not keeping a track ? Will I not be able to access it now that I’ve moved so many times - also my name has changed as I married a few years ago . Also , I don’t know if it’s in an account where the amount could have gone down ?

Anyone had similar issues and been able to access it ?

Just Google "how to find Child trust fund". You'll need their NI number. It's really easy

only your child will be able to access the money.

I think the trust fund number is the same as the national insurance number so should hopefully be easy to track down.
(providing your child didn't throw away the letter with their NI number on. No plastic card now - just a letter 🙁)

@crumblingschools I expect that will depend whether the OP has legal status to manage her child's finances.

It won't be as difficult as you're imagining. This is everyday stuff for banks, they'll find it easily. It's unlikely the value will have decreased.

Give it to your child to find as a mission. My grandchildren have found theirs!

The Unique Regerence Number it asks for is the child's National Insurance number

How do you find out what bank it's in?

HMRC can locate the bank the account was opened with.

https://www.gov.uk/child-trust-funds/find-a-child-trust-fund

Thanks everyone .

i have located it with HMRC - I have the CTF number and I now know it’s with NatWest . I just can’t login online to access it, as it’s asking for a number that is on statements they send me which I don’t have as the address I was living at when they were born , I have moved 5 times since .

Nice to know that it shouldn’t be difficult and shouldn’t have decreased ! I hope I can find out the amount soon so I can tell him !

I am his appointee in terms of PIP , he has a bank account that I send a part of his PIP too - the rest he knows what it goes on but I haven’t yet moved to him having it as he is still immature ( horrible word ) financially , spends his money on toys etc . But , I would be happy for this money to go straight to him - as a tester too , handling an amount that would be large amount . But either way I have access to his bank account anyway to help him manage .

The trust fund number is likely different to the unique reference number they are asking for (which is the NI number in format AB123456C)
Can you not phone them instead and they can send info in the post?

This happened with my DD’s CTF which was the £250 only. We also moved around a lot when she was young so I had no idea where it was. I found out it was with One Family, called them and set up the account online. I hadn’t added to it over the years but added a little for the remaining time left until she was 18 and she recently received a cheque for around £900.

If DS doesn’t have capacity to access/manage the funds himself, this could be a complicating factor. It is an ongoing issue for many such young people. Contact has been campaigning about this. Some providers now allow the appointee to act for smaller amounts. Others don’t and that is when it can get complicated with the need to go via the Court of Protection route.

@Tumbler2121 the OPs child is autistic so that's possibly an unhelpful suggestion.

Well there isn’t anything specific in place to say he can’t , and I’m happy for it to go to him. But , I am his appointee for PIP - it’s paid into my bank account , so I don’t know if because I’m his appointee for PIP this would have any effect . I would have thought it would automatically go to him - as he does have his own bank account - and would only be an issue if I didn’t want that and wanted it to come to me but I’m not really sure so I’ll have to find that out

Being appointee wouldn’t automatically mean DS doesn’t have the capacity to deal with/access the CTF. Capacity is decision specific. But, equally, it wouldn’t only be a problem if you didn’t want it to go to DS. What matters is if DS has capacity.

It’s tricky.

He has capacity in the sense that he’s aware , he knows how money works .

I would say - think of a 12 year old boy for eg - knows what money is , knows things cost money , knows you need to pay bills , knows that as an adult you have to pay bills and buy food . But , given money at that age wouldn’t know how to pay the bills , how much things realistically cost . Wouldn’t think of having to make money last etc . Gets given money and would buy toys and sweets . That’s what it’s like for my son . So he’s fully aware and can make decisions etc but they wouldn’t necessarily be the right ones.

that’s why I am his appointee . He has a list of what ‘he pays’ .. from PIP and the rest he has but with the money he has left he buys toys etc .

So a lump sum that is just for him to do what he wants with - he’s fine with that , I imagine it might be £250 - £500 . If it’s more I would discuss saving some and he would be open to that . But , a monthly amount to manage and not spend on toys etc would be a different story .