UK pushes to reunite Britons with billions in forgotten savings

The Treasury and HM Revenue & Customs have launched a Child Trust Fund Taskforce to help more than 750,000 young adults claim an estimated £1.6 billion in unclaimed Child Trust Funds. The accounts, created for children born between September 2002 and January 2011, hold an average of £2,200 each. HMRC provides a free online search tool on GOV.UK for anyone to locate their pot.

BBC Money expert Laura Pomfret warned that billions of pounds also sit in dormant UK bank, building‑society and NS&I accounts. Under the Dormant Asset Act 2022, funds unclaimed for 15 years can be transferred to charity. In the first half of 2026, £2.1 billion was returned to owners. Pomfret advised people to check with their former banks or use the free service mylostaccount.org.uk to trace lost accounts.