We are joining forces with Youth Focus North East and Share Foundation to raise awareness of unclaimed Child Trust Funds and Junior ISAs across the North East. There are an estimated 32,000 unclaimed accounts across the North East. These are accounts that could contain money belonging to young people who may not even know they have it. 

But this campaign is about more than finding a forgotten account. It is about financial well-being, opportunity and making sure young people have access to the recourses they are entitled to as they move into adulthood. 

Why does this matter?

For many young people, turning 18 marks the beginning of a new chapter. They may be starting work or further education, moving away from home, managing their own finances for the first time or, for young people leaving care, taking significant steps towards independent living. 

At a time when the cost of living and financial pressures can make the transition to adulthood challenging, having access to savings could make a meaningful difference. Yet thousands of young people across the North East may have money set aside in a Child Trust fund or Junior ISA without knowing that it exists. 

If young people don’t know about their fund, they can’t access it!

That is why we believe raising awareness is so important. We want young people to have the information, confidence and support they need to understand what they are entitled to and make informed choices about their own money and their future. 

So…what is a Child trust Fund? 

If you were born in the UK between 1st September 2002 and 2nd January 2011, you may have had a Child Trust Fund set up for you by the UK Government. 

Child Trust Funds were designed to give young people a financial head start. The Government initially paid £250 into eligible accounts, with the money held until the young person turned 18. Depending on the account and what happened to it over the years, the amount available today may be different. 

The important thing is that the money belongs to the young person. 

What about Junior ISAs? 

Young people who have spent more than 12 months in care and remained in the care system after 2nd January 2011 may have had a Junior ISA opened for them. 

The government initially contributed £200 when the account was opened. The value of the account may have changed over time, but there could be money waiting for the young person when they turned 18. 

For young people leaving care, having access to this money could be particularly significant. It could provide additional financial support as they move into their own home, education or employment and begin navigating independent life. 

Putting young people’s voices at the heart of the campaign. 

This campaign is being led by young people from NE Youth and Youth Focus North East. 

That matters because young people are not simply the audience for this campaign. They are helping to shape the conversation about an issue that directly affects their lives and futures. 

Through the campaign, young people are helping to ask important questions about financial well-being and access to support. So they ask: 

  • Do young people know what they are entitled to? 
  • Do they have the information they need to access it? 
  • And what more can we do to make sure that no young person misses out simply because they didn’t know the money was there? 

But putting young people’s experiences and perspectives at the centre, we want to help make financial information more accessible and ensure that young people have a stronger voice in conversations about their financial futures. 

Working together to make sure young people don’t miss out

We have partnered with The Share Foundation, who can help young people aged 16 and over trace their Child Trust Fund or Junior ISA for FREE.

However, finding individual funds is only part of the solution. We also need the organisations and professionals who work with young people every day to help spread the message. That is why we are asking youth organisations, youth workers and other services supporting young people across the North East to share information about the campaign. 

A conversation, a social media post or simply pointing a young person towards the right information could help them access money that has been waiting for them since childhood. 

Could you help us spread the word? 

If you work with young people aged 15-23, or support young people who have been in care, please share this campaign with them. 

Young people aged 16 and over can find out whether they have a fund by visiting: https://www.sharefound.org/ytf

Alternatively, they can email ytf@sharefound.org for more information. 

This is about more than £250 or £200. We believe it is about making sure young people who what they are entitled to, have the information to access it and are supported to make decisions about their own financial future. 

Help us spread the word and make sure young people across the North East get the money they’re entitled to.