An 18th birthday present now awaits young adults…their child trust fund. But if your child has a disability and you know the extra cash will make life easier, can you access it early?

The answer to the question is ‘no’. Parents of children with disabilities cannot access the trust fund earlier, unless, sadly, their child is terminally ill and not expected to live for longer than six months.

These investments were initiated by the Labour government in 2005 to kickstart a savings habit, and given to children born from 1 September 2002 to 2 January 2011. Since the funds first matured last month, parents have been asking about early access.

Journalists investigating on behalf of these families have written extensively about the dilemma in the financial press, but found the door firmly closed.

HM Revenue and Customs says: “Generally money cannot be withdrawn from the account until the child is 18. However, if the child is terminally ill we will allow you to access it earlier.”

The government gave every child a voucher for £250, or £500 if they were from a low income family. If you do not know where your child’s trust fund is invested, the government has a webpage for tracing it. Go to: https://www.gov.uk/child-trust-funds/find-a-child-trust-fund