The Children's Mutual

What is the Child Trust Fund – Stakeholder Options?
The Child Trust Fund – Stakeholder Options is the former Children’s Mutual Baby Bond. It was transferred to Forester Life in January 2017.

What does this mean for your child’s Child Trust Fund?
Your child’s Child Trust Fund (CTF) is now provided by Forester Life. You are now able to do business with us in a way that suits you; online, over the telephone, by post or with a Forester Life Financial Adviser.

You can set up online account management, where you will be able to manage your account 24/7. You can contribute to your child’s savings, check the value of the Plan online, view your documents and apply for additional savings Plans. Family and friends are also able open an online gift account, making it easier for others to contribute to your child’s future too.

As your child has a Plan directly with Forester Life they are a member of Foresters Financial.

What is a unit-linked life plan?
A unit-linked life plan provides the option to invest in a number of funds by purchasing units in those funds. The unit price changes directly in line with the investment performance of the fund. The fund that the new Plan is invested have the same investment objectives and the same investment manager as before the transfer. And as your Plan is a CTF there is no change to tax treatment.

How does unit pricing work?
The price of each unit depends on the value of the assets of the unit-linked fund, less any allowances for management charges and are valued at regular intervals, usually at the end of a business day. The unit price determines the number of units you receive when you invest into the fund, and the amount received when the investment matures.

Following the transfer we have launched a number of new unit-linked funds all initially priced at £1. As the previous price for each fund varied there will be a difference in the number of units you now hold compared to the shares held before the transfer. The fund value of your CTF on the date of the transfer has not changed, only the unit price resulting in a different number of units. By way of example this is illustrated as follows using example figures rather than actual prices:

Are there changes to the charges?
No. There are no changes to your charges. You will continue to have an annual management charge of 1.5%. There are no other charges.

Is there any change to how my child’s CTF is invested?
Your child’s savings will be invested in the same fund(s) as before the transfer so there won’t be any changes to the investment aim(s), objective(s) or fund managers.

What funds can I invest in?
In addition to your current fund choice you have the option to switch part or whole of your investment and/or future contributions into the Foresters Stakeholder (Schroders) Managed 1 Fund.

How do I contribute?
Contributions can be made by debit card, direct credit, standing order or cheque, or you can set up monthly contributions by direct debit. The CTF is a flexible and straightforward way to invest and easy to change if circumstances change.

As part of giving you more choice in ways you can do business with us, you can contribute to your child’s CTF online, over the telephone, by post or via a Financial Adviser.

I had a direct debit or standing order set up with The Children’s Mutual, do I need to amend anything?
No, there is no need to make any changes. Your bank statement will show “Forester Life”, rather than “The Children’s Mutual” as the payment reference.

How does the automatic increase work?
Each year we will automatically increase the amounts received from each monthly contributor to keep pace with inflation (subject to a minimum of 2.5% and the maximum contribution limit). You will receive written notification before the increase occurs and you have the option to opt out of this at any time.

How do I activate my online account?
To activate your online account please click below. You need the Plan number, postcode and Date of Birth for both the Registered Contact and the Planholder (the Planholder is the child). 

Activate my account

I have more than one child, do I need to activate all of their online accounts?
No, if you have more than one Plan transferred from The Children’s Mutual all you need to do is complete the activation process for one of your Plans and you will then be able to see all your Plans in one place.

I already have a My Plans account, do I need to activate my Plans transferred from the Children’s Mutual?
No, we will do this for you so that you can see all your Plans in one place.

I have not received any information about the transfer of Plans from the Children’s Mutual to Forester Life, what do I need to do?
If you have not received any communication from us please contact Customer Services on 0333 600 0333. Lines are open Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm.

I have received an error message when trying to activate my online account, what do I need to do?
If you have tried to activate your online account and you are receiving an error message please contact Customer Services to ensure your child’s details are correct on 0333 600 0333. Lines are open Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm.

I have set up my online account however my Plan(s) aren’t displaying, what do I do?
If you can’t see any Plan information, this is because we are collecting your information to set up your online account. This should take no longer than 24 hours. If your Plan(s) are still not displaying after 24 hours please contact us on 0333 600 0333.

What is a transfer statement?
A transfer statement (also known as a closing statement) is a document issued by the Children’s Mutual confirming that the CTF transfer to Forester Life is complete.

Can I withdraw my child’s money?
No. A CTF cannot be closed and money cannot be withdrawn from the account. The money is locked away until your child’s 18th birthday At age 18 the proceeds are payable as a lump sum. Any money contributed to your child’s account is a gift.

How do I become the Registered Contact?
If your child’s CTF does not have a Registered Contact, someone who has parental responsibility can become the Registered Contact. You should have received a pack containing an application form to become the Registered Contact if there is no Registered Contact for your child’s CTF.

To become the Registered Contact for a CTF then please download and complete the Registered Contact Application form and return to FREEPOST RSKL-ATSJ-JHYS, Forester Life CTF Team, 2 Cromwell Avenue, Bromley BR2 9BF - no stamp is required. If you would like a form sent to you please contact Customer Services on 0333 600 0333

What can the Registered Contact do?
The Registered Contact can manage the CTF on your child’s behalf. You will not be able to receive information relating to the CTF or make changes to the Plan if you are not the Registered Contact.

Why have you written to my child?
It is a requirement for The Children’s Mutual to provide the Registered Contact with information relating to the transfer. If there is no a Registered Contact for the CTF, they must write to the child.

What is the Child Trust Fund –Options?
The Child Trust Fund – Options is the former Children’s Mutual Baby Bond Choice. It was transferred to Forester Life in January 2017.

What does this mean for your child’s Child Trust Fund?
Your child’s Child Trust Fund (CTF) is now provided by Forester Life. You are now able to do business with us in a way that suits you; online, over the telephone, by post or with a Forester Life Financial Adviser.

You can set up online account management, where you will be able to manage your account 24/7. You can contribute to your child’s savings, check the value of the Plan online, view your documents and apply for additional savings Plans. Family and friends are also able open an online gift account, making it easier for others to contribute to your child’s future too.

As your child has a Plan directly with Forester Life they are a member of Foresters Financial.

What is a unit-linked life plan?
A unit-linked life plan provides the option to invest in a number of funds by purchasing units in those funds. The unit price changes directly in line with the investment performance of the fund. The fund that the new Plan is invested have the same investment objectives and the same investment manager as before the transfer. And as your Plan is a CTF there is no change to tax treatment.

How does unit pricing work?
The price of each unit depends on the value of the assets of the unit-linked fund, less any allowances for management charges and are valued at regular intervals, usually at the end of a business day. The unit price determines the number of units you receive when you invest into the fund, and the amount received when the investment matures.

Following the transfer we have launched a number of new unit-linked funds all initially priced at £1. As the previous price for each fund varied there will be a difference in the number of units you now hold compared to the shares held before the transfer. The fund value of your CTF on the date of the transfer has not changed, only the unit price resulting in a different number of units. By way of example this is illustrated as follows using example figures rather than actual prices:

Are there changes to the charges?
Yes, many of the specialist funds with The Children’s Mutual may have had an initial charge on contributions and fund switches. Foresters Financial has removed these and no further initial charges will apply in the future.

Is there any change to how my child’s CTF is invested?
Your child’s savings will be invested in the same fund(s) as before the transfer so there won’t be any changes to the investment aim(s), objective(s) or fund managers.

What funds can I invest in?
In addition to your current fund choice you have the option to switch part or whole of your investment and/or future contributions into the Foresters Stakeholder (Schroders) Managed 1 Fund.

How do I contribute?
Contributions can be made by debit card, direct credit, standing order or cheque, or you can set up monthly contributions by direct debit. The CTF is a flexible and straightforward way to invest and easy to change if circumstances change.

As part of giving you more choice in ways you can do business with us, you can contribute to your child’s CTF online, over the telephone, by post or via a Financial Adviser.

I had a direct debit or standing order set up with The Children’s Mutual, do I need to amend anything?
No, there is no need to make any changes. Your bank statement will show “Forester Life”, rather than “The Children’s Mutual” as the payment reference.

How does the automatic increase work?
Each year we will automatically increase the amounts received from each monthly contributor to keep pace with inflation (subject to a minimum of 2.5% and the maximum contribution limit). You will receive written notification before the increase occurs and you have the option to opt out of this at any time.

How do I activate my online account?
To activate your online account please click below. You need the Plan number, postcode and Date of Birth for both the Registered Contact and the Planholder (the Planholder is the child).

Activate my account

I have more than one child, do I need to activate all of their online accounts?
No, if you have more than one Plan transferred from The Children’s Mutual all you need to do is complete the activation process for one of your Plans and you will then be able to see all your Plans in one place.

I already have a My Plans account, do I need to activate my Plans transferred from the Children’s Mutual?
No, we will do this for you so that you can see all your Plans in one place.

I have not received any information about the transfer of Plans from the Children’s Mutual to Forester Life, what do I need to do?
If you have not received any communication from us please contact Customer Services on 0333 600 0333. Lines are open Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm.

I have received an error message when trying to activate my online account, what do I need to do?
If you have tried to activate your online account and you are receiving an error message please contact Customer Services to ensure your child’s details are correct on 0333 600 0333. Lines are open Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm.

I have set up my online account however my Plan(s) aren’t displaying, what do I do?
If you can’t see any Plan information, this is because we are collecting your information to set up your online account. This should take no longer than 24 hours. If your Plan(s) are still not displaying after 24 hours please contact us on 0333 600 0333.

What is a transfer statement?
A transfer statement (also known as a closing statement) is a document issued by the Children’s Mutual confirming that the CTF transfer to Forester Life is complete.

Can I withdraw my child’s money?
No. A CTF cannot be closed and money cannot be withdrawn from the account. The money is locked away until your child’s 18th birthday At age 18 the proceeds are payable as a lump sum. Any money contributed to your child’s account is a gift.

What is the Child Trust Fund - Shariah?
The Child Trust Fund – Shariah is the former Children’s Mutual Baby Bond Shariah. It was transferred to Forester Life in January 2017.

What does this mean for your child’s Child Trust Fund?
Your child’s Child Trust Fund (CTF) is now provided by Forester Life. You are now able to do business with us in a way that suits you; online, over the telephone, by post or with a Forester Life Financial Adviser.

You can set up online account management, where you will be able to manage your account 24/7. You can contribute to your child’s savings, check the value of the Plan online, view your documents and apply for additional savings Plans. Family and friends are also able open an online gift account, making it easier for others to contribute to your child’s future too.

As your child has a Plan directly with Forester Life they are a member of Foresters Financial.

What is a unit-linked life plan?
A unit-linked life plan provides the option to invest in a number of funds by purchasing units in those funds. The unit price changes directly in line with the investment performance of the fund. The fund that the new Plan is invested have the same investment objectives and the same investment manager as before the transfer. And as your Plan is a CTF there is no change to tax treatment.

How does unit pricing work?
The price of each unit depends on the value of the assets of the unit-linked fund, less any allowances for management charges and are valued at regular intervals, usually at the end of a business day. The unit price determines the number of units you receive when you invest into the fund, and the amount received when the investment matures.

Following the transfer we have launched a number of new unit-linked funds all initially priced at £1. As the previous price for each fund varied there will be a difference in the number of units you now hold compared to the shares held before the transfer. The fund value of your CTF on the date of the transfer has not changed, only the unit price resulting in a different number of units. By way of example this is illustrated as follows using example figures rather than actual prices:

Are there changes to the charges?
No. There are no changes to your charges. You will continue to have an annual management charge of 1.5%. There are no other charges.

Is there any change to how my child’s CTF is invested?
Your child’s savings will be invested in the same fund as before the transfer so there won’t be any changes to the investment aim, objective or fund managers.

How do I contribute?
Contributions can be made by debit card, direct credit, standing order or cheque, or you can set up monthly contributions by direct debit. The CTF is a flexible and straightforward way to invest and easy to change if circumstances change.

As part of giving you more choice in ways you can do business with us, you can contribute to your child’s CTF online, over the telephone, by post or via a Financial Adviser.

I had a direct debit or standing order set up with The Children’s Mutual, do I need to amend anything?
No, there is no need to make any changes. Your bank statement will show “Forester Life”, rather than “The Children’s Mutual” as the payment reference.

How does the automatic increase work?
Each year we will automatically increase the amounts received from each monthly contributor to keep pace with inflation (subject to a minimum of 2.5% and the maximum contribution limit). You will receive written notification before the increase occurs and you have the option to opt out of this at any time.

How do I activate my online account?
To activate your online account please click below.You need the Plan number, postcode and Date of Birth for both the Registered Contact and the Planholder (the Planholder is the child).

Activate my account

I have more than one child, do I need to activate all of their online accounts?
No, if you have more than one Plan transferred from The Children’s Mutual all you need to do is complete the activation process for one of your Plans and you will then be able to see all your Plans in one place.

I already have a My Plans account, do I need to activate my Plans transferred from the Children’s Mutual?
No, we will do this for you so that you can see all your Plans in one place.

I have not received any information about the transfer of Plans from the Children’s Mutual to Forester Life, what do I need to do?
If you have not received any communication from us please contact Customer Services on 0333 600 0333. Lines are open Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm.

I have received an error message when trying to activate my online account, what do I need to do?
If you have tried to activate your online account and you are receiving an error message please contact Customer Services to ensure your child’s details are correct on 0333 600 0333. Lines are open Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5:00pm.

I have set up my online account however my Plan(s) aren’t displaying, what do I do?
If you can’t see any Plan information, this is because we are collecting your information to set up your online account. This should take no longer than 24 hours. If your Plan(s) are still not displaying after 24 hours please contact us on 0333 600 0333.

What is a transfer statement?
A transfer statement (also known as a closing statement) is a document issued by the Children’s Mutual confirming that the CTF transfer to Forester Life is complete.

Can I withdraw my child’s money?
No. A CTF cannot be closed and money cannot be withdrawn from the account. The money is locked away until your child’s 18th birthday At age 18 the proceeds are payable as a lump sum. Any money contributed to your child’s account is a gift.