Overview
A Child Trust Fund may have been opened years before the account holder was old enough to remember it. Lost paperwork or a family move does not mean the money has vanished.
The task has two stages: find the provider, then establish access with that provider. HMRC's tracing service helps with the first stage.
Quick Answer
Use GOV.UK's free Child Trust Fund tracing service if you do not know the provider. It can identify where the account was originally opened; it does not tell you the current balance or withdraw the money for you.
If you already know the provider, contact it directly through verified details. You do not need to pay a tracing company simply to start the official search.
Check That You Are Looking for a Child Trust Fund
The scheme covers eligible children born between 1 September 2002 and 2 January 2011. Being within those dates is a reason to investigate, not proof that every person has an untouched account waiting.
The account may already have been accessed or transferred, including to a Junior ISA. Ask a parent or guardian for old statements and check whether a provider's name changed.
A Junior ISA is a different product, and HMRC's Child Trust Fund search does not trace Junior ISAs. Read our Junior ISA rules guide if the paperwork refers to one.
Prepare the Details Before Starting
The official service asks for information to identify the account holder. Depending on who is applying, this includes the National Insurance number, name, address, date of birth, previous names and adoption information where relevant.
HMRC says the form needs to be completed in one go. Gather the information first rather than guessing a previous name or abandoning a half-completed request.
Use the official GOV.UK route. A sponsored search result offering to “release your fund” is not the same as HMRC's service.
Keep the reference number and a copy of any confirmation.
Who Can Use the Service?
The official service is available to someone aged 16 or over looking for their own fund, or a parent or guardian looking for a child under 18.
At 16, tracing or managing the account is not the same as ordinary withdrawal access. The usual access point is 18.
If the young adult is now over 18, help them prepare the enquiry if needed, but do not assume the provider can disclose everything to a parent without authority.
Our matured Child Trust Fund guide covers the access stage after tracing.
What the HMRC Result Does and Does Not Prove
The result identifies the original provider. It is not a statement of the amount currently available.
The balance can depend on later contributions, charges, investment performance and any transfer history. Do not budget using an advertised average account value.
If the original provider no longer operates under the same name, use HMRC's authorised-provider list to investigate the successor or transfer information. Avoid sending identity documents to an unverified website with a similar name.
Contact the Provider Securely
Tell the provider that HMRC identified it and ask for its account-tracing process. Supply the requested details through its approved channel.
Ask it to confirm whether it still holds the account, whether it was transferred and what evidence is required to update the address or establish access.
A useful enquiry record contains the date, team contacted, reference number and next step. That prevents repeated calls from starting from scratch.
Do not post National Insurance numbers, statements or identity documents in a public forum asking someone to identify the provider.
If You Do Not Get a Result
HMRC's published guidance says online requests usually receive a letter within three weeks, with postal requests taking longer. It gives a follow-up route if no response arrives within six weeks.
Check the address used and keep the request reference. Do not repeatedly submit slightly different identities in the hope that one works; explain any genuine name or address changes consistently.
If the result points to a transferred account, follow the transfer trail rather than treating the first provider's “not held here” response as the end.
Decide What to Do Only After Confirming the Balance
If the account holder is 18 or older, establish the available options and any investment-sale timing before committing the money to a purchase.
A withdrawal, an ISA transfer and leaving the funds where they are can have different consequences. The provider should explain the maturity process.
If the search reveals other forgotten savings, our lost savings account guide covers those separate tracing routes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Explore savings guides. This is general information about tracing and access, not a recommendation about investing or spending the funds.
