More Putney Child Trust Funds claimed

A little over a year ago I ran a campaign with local schools to encourage parents to claim Child Trust Funds for their kids.

Child Trust Funds (CTFs) are a Labour Government initiative that creates a saving account for every child born since September 2002, then invests a lump sum of between £250 and £500 in it. There are further government top-ups to the fund at 7 and in their teenage years. Families and friends can add to it and it can't be touched until their 18th birthday.

At the time I launched my "Claim your CTF" campaign, just over 71% of Putney families had claimed their Child Trust Fund voucher to set up the account. One year on that figure has climbed to almost 76%.

That still means that almost 1 in 4 local families are letting thier kids miss out on a serious dollop of cash when they reach adulthood - to spend on tuition fees, a deposit on a first home, or to help buy a first car, for instance.

If you think you're children may be missing out call the Child Trust Fund helpline: 0845 302 1470