What's next for your Child Trust Fund money?
At 18, you'll be able to log into your online account and tell us what you’d like to do with the money in your Child Trust Fund (CTF).
What are my choices?
The future-planning option
Invest your CTF for a future goal, like buying your first home or going travelling.
The option to move your money into our adult ISAs will show in your online account after you turn 18.
The happy medium option
Keep some of your CTF invested for your future, but give yourself permission to spend some of it now.
You'll be able to select how much to withdraw, and we'll help you move the rest to an adult ISA.
The here-and-now option
Take all your CTF out now to spend how you like.
You'll be able to ask us to send you a cheque or transfer the money to your bank account through your online account after you turn 18.
Want to know more about what happens when your Child Trust Fund matures? Have a look at our maturity FAQs.
Already 18 and ready to make your choice? Log in or register.
How can I invest my Child Trust Fund money?
That depends on what you want to spend the money on in the future.
We have two adult ISAs that both invest in stocks and shares but are designed for different savings goals.
Both are tax-efficient, meaning no matter how much money you make, you won’t pay any income tax or capital gains tax when you take your money out.
- Our Lifetime ISA could be right for you if you want to buy your first home at some point in the future.
- Our Stocks and Shares ISA might be a better fit if you want to put money aside for other future goals, like travelling or starting a business, or you've not yet decided what you'll spend it on.
Once you turn 18, you'll see an options in your online account to simply transfer money from your Child Trust Fund into one of these adult ISAs.
Find out more about investing your Child Trust Fund money.
Choosing between a Lifetime ISA and a Stocks and Shares ISA
Both of these ISAs invest in stocks and shares. It's worth remembering that the value of stocks and shares can fall as well as rise. This is normal for this type of investment, but you could get back less than has been paid in.
Lifetime ISA
This could be a good option if you want to save for your first home or keep your money invested until you turn 60.
The government tops up everything you pay into a lifetime ISA by an extra 25%. You can invest up to £4,000 each tax year so that's up to £1,000 extra available!
But if you take the money out for anything other than buying your first home, HMRC will charge you a withdrawal penalty fee (unless you’ve turned 60, when you can do what you like with the money), so you need to be sure that's what you'll use the money for.
Stocks and Shares ISA
If you want to put some money aside for university, travelling the world or simply for keeping your options open, an ISA might be right for you.
Our Stocks and Shares ISA is a straightforward way to start investing as all you need to do is choose which of our three funds you'd like to invest in.
Unlike a lifetime ISA, the government doesn’t top-up the money you pay into this type of ISA, but you're not limited to using the money for a house deposit. There's no withdrawal fee for taking money out.
Ready to make your choice?
Register or log into your online account to let us know what you’d like to do.
If you want to withdraw some, or all, of the money in your Child Trust Fund you can choose to do this by bank transfer or by asking us to post you a cheque.
I’m not yet 18
Sit tight for now. If you’re 16 or over, you can register for an online account so you’re ready to go as soon as you do turn 18.
Register
I’m 18 but haven’t got an online account
It’s easy to register, you just need your name, date-of-birth and National Insurance number.
I’m 18 and have an online account
Log in and let us know what you’d like to do with your money. If you’re not decided, don’t worry – you can leave your money where it is while you give it some thought.