Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many applications to the Court of Protection for a deputyship order in cases relating to Child Trust Funds were made in each year since 2019.

It is not possible to provide information on the numbers of applications for a deputyship order in cases relating to Child Trust Funds as Court of Protection data is not broken down by the type of asset held.

Locally collected management information relating to Child Trust Funds does not include those cases where a Child Trust Fund may be one of several assets owned by the young person lacking capacity and therefore does not provide an accurate picture of the number of applications made.

With effect from 08 April 2025, applications to the Court of Protection will cost £421. Where an application to access a Child Trust Fund is made before the child reaches 18, no fee is payable if the child has savings of less than £4,250 and a monthly income less than £1,420. In addition, where the Child Trust Fund is the sole asset, an exceptional fee waiver can be applied for. When an application is made after a child turns 18, and they have savings or income above these levels, a parent or carer can apply for an exceptional fee waiver at the court’s discretion.

The Ministry of Justice has published a toolkit for parents and carers to help them navigate the court process.

The Department is exploring plans to facilitate the CoP process for parents and guardians applying for a deputyship, for example by alerting parents in advance of a child's 18th birthday of the need to make an application.