The Conservative/Liberal coalition government  stopped all payments to new child trust Funds in January 2011.

Payments under the scheme by the UK Government were reduced from August 2010 in the build-up to its full withdrawal.

Under the last Labour government scheme, parents of newborns received a £250 voucher to invest for their children which they could have accessed from the age of 18.

A further payment was to be made when the child reached the age of seven. 

This top-up was scrapped from 1 August 2010. If a child trust has already been opened, it will continue as usual - and the child will not be able to touch the money until the age of 18.