Get your court funds money when you turn 18

The Court Funds Office will write to you within a month of your 18th birthday if you have money in a court funds account.

The letter will say if you must either:

  • apply to the Court Funds Office for your money and any investments to be transferred to you
  • take your case back to court

If you need money before your 18th birthday a ‘litigation friend’ can apply to the court for you.

Apply to the Court Funds Office

You must wait until you’re 18, and then fill in the form that the Court Funds Office has sent you.

You and a witness must sign and date the form on the same day. Your witness must be someone who knows you, eg a teacher or your doctor, but not a relative.

You must also send a copy of your birth or adoption certificate, passport or driving licence. This must:

  • have “I believe this to be a true copy of the original” written on it
  • be signed and dated by you and your witness, on the same day

You’ll also need to send a copy of a bank statement or a letter from your bank dated within the last 3 months, to confirm your account details.

You can choose to have your money transferred into someone else’s account - you’ll need to go to court to get approval.

Investments in your Court Funds Office account

If part of your money is in the Equity Index Tracker Fund, you’ll need to say on the form whether you want your investments:

  • sold and the proceeds paid into your bank account
  • transferred into your name
  • part sold, part transferred

The Court Funds Office cannot offer advice. You can get financial advice if you need it.

You can find a financial adviser:

Going back to the court for a decision

The letter from the Court Funds Office will tell you which court you need to contact - it’s usually the one that originally awarded you the money.

You’ll need proof of identity, eg your passport, and either a copy of a bank statement or letter from your bank dated within the last 3 months.

If you want the money transferred to someone else’s bank account you’ll need a copy of a bank statement or a letter from their bank to confirm their details.

Check with the court for the documentation that you’ll need to support your application.

If your application’s successful, the court will tell Court Funds Office to pay out your fund.

They’ll also instruct the Court Funds Office on what you want them to do with any investments held in the Equity Index Tracker Fund.

What happens next

Your money will be transferred to your chosen bank account within 5 working days of the Court Funds Office receiving the court order or your completed forms and documents.

It can take up to 3 working days for the money to clear into your account after it’s been transferred.

Related content