Child Benefit is not payable if a local authority (or Health and Social Services Trust in Northern Ireland) is looking after a child. But there are special arrangements to make sure children in this situation do not miss out on the Child Trust Fund (CTF).
Many children start being looked after some time after Child Benefit has first been claimed for them. In those circumstances, the person claiming Child Benefit should have received a CTF voucher in the usual way and can use this to open an account. And usually the person who opened the account will be able to go on managing the account.
Where a child becomes looked after before Child Benefit has been awarded, then the local authority will let the CTF Office (CTFO) know about this. CTFO will arrange for a provider to open an account for the child and write to the person with parental responsibility so they know about the account. Where there is a person with parental responsibility for the child, that person will be able to take on the management of the account.
Where there is no one appropriate with parental responsibility, the Official Solicitor or Accountant of Court will manage the looked after child's account.
Use this link for information about these organisations
Use this link to find out more about arrangements for looked after children
