In September 2002, Gordon Brown and David Blunkett launched the Child Trust Fund scheme. The Labour chancellor claimed it would create a ‘wealth-owning, asset-owning democracy for all’, that would give young people ‘a permanent stake in society’. All eligible children received £250, but those from lower-income families received £500 to ensure they weren’t left behind.
The scheme was closed in 2011 by the coalition government as part of its austerity programme and, for many young people, a ‘permanent stake in society’ is a vision yet to be realised.
Around 780,000 accounts have yet to be accessed, and up to 80,000 of those
To provide well-rounded coverage and a breadth of insight across various events, we rely on contributions from several staff writers, each bringing their own area of expertise to our publication.
