Opening an account

There are four sections in this part of the website. Below you’ll find a summary of the content, followed by a link to that section.

Introduction to opening an account

Opening a Child Trust Fund account is easy. All a parent or person with parental responsibility needs to open an account for a child is the voucher sent out by HM Revenue & Customs. A Child Trust Fund account is a special opportunity for all children and the Government will ensure that all eligible children receive one to help them as they begin their adult lives. Even if a child’s parent or carer does not manage to open an account for their child, HM Revenue & Customs will open one on the child’s behalf.

Who can open an account

A parent, or any person with parental responsibility can open their child’s Child Trust Fund account. The person who does this – known as the ‘registered contact’ – is then the main point of contact for the account and will have responsibility for it until the child reaches the age of 16. At the age of 16, the child will take over the responsibility of their account for themselves.

Where to open an account

It’s a good idea to look at what different CTF accounts offer before choosing the right one for your child. The next page lists all the providers and distributors of CTF accounts with their contact details.

How you open an account

Opening a Child Trust Fund account is simple. The voucher is the key, and may be all that is required to open an account, although some providers may ask for proof of address or another documents. It is possible to move accounts too, if required.