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Family finance · Parent's guide
Setting up a Junior ISA: a step-by-step guide
It takes about fifteen minutes once you know what you're doing. Here's who can open one, what you need and what happens as your child grows up.
Updated 17 October 2026 · 5 min read
The short answer
A parent or guardian opens it and manages it. Nobody can withdraw until 18.
You can pay in up to £9,000 per tax year, split between a cash and a stocks and shares Junior ISA however you like.
You're the child's parent or legal guardian. Only you can open the account and act as its registered contact. Grandparents, aunts and uncles can still pay in once it's open.
The child is under 18 and lives in the UK.
You have the child's full name and date of birth, and their National Insurance number if they have one. A newborn won't, and the provider will explain.
You know whether the child has an existing Child Trust Fund (see below).
You've decided between cash, stocks and shares, or both.
Does my child already have a Child Trust Fund?
If your child was born between 1 September 2002 and 2 January 2011, they may have a Child Trust Fund (CTF), even if you've never touched it. Some were opened automatically. A child can't have a CTF and a Junior ISA running side by side, so the CTF has to be transferred into a Junior ISA first. Most providers will do the transfer for you when you open the account. If you're not sure whether one exists, HMRC has an online tool to find it.
The five steps
Choose cash, stocks and shares, or bothA cash Junior ISA works like a savings account: it earns interest and the balance doesn't fall. A stocks and shares one invests in funds or shares, which can grow faster over a long period but can also fall. Because the money is locked away for years, many parents split the allowance between both.
Check for an existing Child Trust FundIf your child was born between September 2002 and January 2011, check first. If one exists, you'll transfer it as part of opening the new account, or open the Junior ISA with the provider that holds the CTF.
Apply online as the registered contactMost providers let you apply in one sitting. You'll give your own ID details as well as the child's. Only one registered contact can be named at a time, and it can be changed later if needed.
Make your first paymentMany providers let you start with a small amount, then top up by lump sum, standing order or monthly Direct Debit. A regular monthly payment is the easiest way to build the habit, and starting early matters more than the amount.
Manage it on their behalfAs registered contact you choose the provider, manage payments and, for stocks and shares, pick the funds. Anyone can add money, but only you control the account. Your child can't touch it until they turn 18, whatever the balance.
Next step
Not sure which provider to pick?
We've compared the main cash and stocks and shares Junior ISAs, including fees and minimum payments.
Your child can take over as registered contact and manage the account themselves. You can carry on managing it if you'd rather. They still can't withdraw anything.
Age 18
The Junior ISA automatically becomes an adult ISA and your child gets full control. They can withdraw the balance, keep saving or move it. You don't need to do anything.
Can grandparents open a Junior ISA for a grandchild?
No. Only a parent or legal guardian can open a Junior ISA and act as the registered contact. Grandparents and other family or friends can pay into an account once it's open.
What's the Junior ISA allowance?
£9,000 per child per tax year, shared across the child's Junior ISAs. The allowance resets each tax year and doesn't carry over if unused. Check GOV.UK for the current year's figure before you pay in.
Can I have both a cash and a stocks and shares Junior ISA for the same child?
Yes. A child can have one cash and one stocks and shares Junior ISA at the same time, with the annual allowance split between them however you choose. A child can't have two of the same type in the same tax year.
Can I withdraw money from a Junior ISA early?
Generally no. The money is locked until the child turns 18, with very limited exceptions such as a terminal illness diagnosis. Treat it as inaccessible until then.
Does a Junior ISA count towards my own ISA allowance?
No. A child's Junior ISA allowance is separate from your own adult ISA allowance.
Ready to pick a provider?
Compare the main Junior ISAs, then open one in about fifteen minutes.
This is general information, not financial advice. ISA rules and allowances can change, so check GOV.UK and the provider's own terms before you open an account. Checked October 2026.