MoneyPersonal financeMartin LewisPeople are being urged to check if they can claim the 'forgotten' payout10:58, 24 Jun 2026Updated 10:58, 24 Jun 2026MoneySavingExpert (MSE) is alerting parents that their children could be eligible for a £2,000 payment that many have 'forgotten about'. The consumer website, founded by Martin Lewis, issued a plea on social media, explaining that children born between two dates might be entitled to thousands.‌Posting on Facebook, MSE said: "Have a child between 15 and 23? They need to know this." The post explained: "They could be sitting on an average of £2,200 and have absolutely no idea about it.‌"All UK children born from 1 September 2002 to 2 January 2011 had a Child Trust Fund, and the state automatically put £250 in it. But many have been forgotten about and lost... But good news! HMRC has a handy tool to find 'em."‌The MSE website explains that anyone born between the dates could be "one of 750,000 missing out on an average £2,200 lying dormant in a Child Trust Fund." The total can vary between accounts, but some could have thousands.MSE explained: "Until 31 July 2010, the Government added the first £250 or £500, plus a further £250 or £500 if the child turned seven before that date. From 1 August 2010 to 2 January 2011, this second payment was scrapped while the initial payment ranged from £50 to £500. Either way, every account has a sum of money sitting in it."‌You can find a missing Child Trust Fund by using the free Find a Child Trust Fund tool on gov.uk. You will require either your National Insurance number or your child's, along with their date of birth and a Government Gateway ID to pinpoint the provider. You’ll also need any adoption details, if applicable.Responding to the Facebook post, several MSE fans shared their own success stories. One parent commented: "My son has £5,000 in his now to be taken when he's 18 next year."Another reply said: "My daughters both got around 4k when they were 18 and the trust fund was switched to an ISA." A different social media user replied: "My son didn’t get it, born the week after!Article continues below"However, my daughter did and we was recommended to put into stocks and shares. So glad I did, she did extremely well!"Someone else wrote: "My 15-year-old got £65!!" A commenter responded: "About the same for mine. So disappointing." Another response said: "Both grandsons only received £500 each from their trusts."Choose Daily Mirror as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.‌Save moneyMoney TroublesMake moneyMoney MattersMartin LewisFacebookExpert AdviceParenting