Almost 3 million matured Child Trust Fund accounts held by 18 to 24 year-olds have been claimed or transferred into an Individual Savings Account since September 2020, HM Revenue and Customs said in a 23 September 2026 release. Around 827,000 matured accounts remained unclaimed, worth an average of £2,310, according to figures published in the Annual Savings Statistics on 16 September 2026 covering data up to April 2026.

Child Trust Funds were tax-free savings accounts opened for children born between 1 September 2002 and 2 January 2011 with an initial government deposit of at least £250. Holders can take control at 16 and decide at maturity, age 18, whether to withdraw, keep or reinvest the money. The accounts are held by banks, building societies or other providers, not by government. HMRC said almost 500,000 young people used the GOV.UK locator tool in the nine months to August 2026.

Economic Secretary to the Treasury Lucy Rigby, who leads a Child Trust Fund Taskforce set up with industry, said some young people may not know savings are waiting for them. The release included comments from two 18-year-olds in London describing their decisions to claim or leave their funds.