Child Trust Funds: Children with Learning Disabilities

Baroness Gardner of Parkes Excerpts

Thursday 3rd December 2020 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)]

I am afraid, as I have said before, that we are doing everything we possibly can. It is not costly any longer because the fee remission will ensure that families can go to the Court of Protection and not suffer financially. We will get it done but we have to take into account the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the fact that these young people are at times vulnerable and need protection through that Act.

[Baroness Gardner of Parkes (Con) [V]]

My Lords, more than 700,000 teenagers will be given the keys to their child trust funds over the next 12 months. It was never made clear to parents that disabled children will be unable to access the funds at 18, due to their lack of mental capacity. With an application to the Court of Protection on behalf of a disabled child, they might be able to do that but there is no surety that they could. Parents care greatly about their children and this is a tragic situation. I was reassured by many of the answers that the Minister has given and hope that everything will work out, and access will be readily available.

[Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)]

I can assure the noble Baroness that there is no way in which those children will not get access eventually but it is about how they get it.