Children's Unit Trust (CUT)

Give a child in your life a head start with a Children's Unit Trust

We all have hopes and dreams for our children and grandchildren. And we know that money can help fulfil those dreams. So how better to give a child you love a helping hand than by investing some money for them as they grow up? By starting now you could give them a worthwhile gift later on in life.

The Family Investments Children's Unit Trust offers you a flexible way to invest for a child or grandchild over the medium to long-term so you can offer them financial support at a time when they may especially need it. The plan is held in trust for the child until they are 18 and as a trustee you stay in control of the investment until then.

You can open plans for as many children as you want, and because there's no upper limit on the amount that can be invested, friends, family or godparents can chip in too if they wish.

Start a plan with a £250 lump sum – or just £30 a month

It's up to you how you pay into the plan. You can start with a minimum lump sum of just £250, which you can top up with payments of as little as £50 as and when you wish.

Or, if you prefer to pay regularly into the plan, you can invest as little as £30 a month by Direct Debit, and you'll still be free to add lump sum payments at any time.

It's all about investing for a child in the way that's best for you.

A choice of two expertly managed funds

With the Children's Unit Trust you can choose to put your money into one of two funds. Both are managed by professional fund managers, New Star, who decide on a day-to-day basis where to invest your contributions, whilst delivering the investment aims of the relevant trust:

• the Family Asset Trust, which invests mainly in a carefully selected range of UK companies, keeping your investment close to home; or
• the Family Charities Ethical Trust, which avoids investing in certain businesses. For example, we avoid investing in companies who generate significant turnover from the testing of cosmetics or toiletries on animals, or from using intensive farming methods.

As with all stock-market based investments, you should regard the Children's Unit Trust as a medium to long-term investment. As it is linked to the stockmarket, it offers the potential of good returns but of course its value can fall as well as rise so the child may not get back as much as you put in.

A great way for grandparents to invest
More information about the Children's Unit Trust
Request an information pack
Download an application form

Alternatively, you can call our Customer Service Team on 0844 8 920 920. Open 9am-5.30pm weekdays and 9am-12 noon Saturdays (calls may be monitored or recorded for training purposes). Calls cost 6p plus 3p per minute from a BT landline (correct at 06/08). The cost of non-BT landline calls may differ.