Is this deposit a gift or savings?

[drewnancy]

If a parent regularly gifts into their child's CTF/JISA from birth and then into their adult LISA/ISA, to build up a deposit for a first home over a period of 25 years, should that be recorded as a "gifted deposit" or "savings" on their mortgage application?

And if the answer is "gifted deposit" then does the fund's growth (through compound interest or stock market growth) count as "gifted deposit" too, or is that savings?

The mortgage provider (Nationwide) doesn't give any guidance on this as far as I can tell.

I believe this would go down as savings. Although you may still be asked to show where the money was coming from for Money Laundering purposes if the payments are recent. A gift would typically be if they did not currently have the money. And you were transferring it to them for the purpose of the deposit.

Savings.

Thanks. I wish Nationwide would give clearer guidance about this.

Savings