Junior Isa - unresponsive registered contact (parent)

Stewieyan2

Hello,

Seeking competent help on the following situation, appreciate good advice!

Father opened a Junior ISA for the kid several years ago (thus becoming a registered contact).
Parents got divorced, father moved to another country, he is in effect uncommunicable now and doesn't want anything to do with the kid any more unfortunately.

What can the mother do, in order to become a registered contact instead? ISA provider support team couldn't give a sensible answer over the phone.
In particular, can the mother open another Junior ISA with say another provider, and transfer the current ISA over (in the absence of consent from the father, which is impossible to get)?

Thank you.

Keep_pedalling

How old is the child now? If they are nearing 16 then control of the account becomes theirs ( although they can’t touch the money until they are 18)

A child can have one cash and one S&S JISA but I think you would have difficulty with any transfer out of the existing one.

Stewieyan2

still quite a few years to reach 16

eskbanker

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/manage-the-registered-contact-for-a-junior-isa explains the limited scenarios where the registered contact can be changed without the consent of the existing one:

Change of registered contact

The consent of the existing registered contact is not needed, and should not be requested, where the applicant for registered contact status is the account holder who is 16 years or older, or in the following cases:

• on the death or incapacity of the existing registered contact
• where the existing registered contact lacks capacity
• where the existing registered contact cannot be contacted
• where a Court order brings to an end the existing registered contact being a person with parental responsibility for the child
• where a Court has appointed a Guardian or a Special Guardian of the child who holds the JISA
• where a Court has appointed a Guardian or a Special Guardian of the child who holds the JISA
• where a Court orders that the person who is the existing registered contact cease to be so
• where the new registered contact has adopted the child under an adoption order

Outside of these exceptions, the consent of an existing registered contact is needed to relinquish their status before another person can take over the role. Without that consent there cannot be a change, the confirmation need not be in writing, and account managers can obtain this consent by any means they consider appropriate.

Does the third (or perhaps fourth) of these fit the bill?

Stewieyan2

Thanks but no, there's nothing like that existing at the moment.

eskbanker

A child can have both a cash JISA and a S&S one, so the mother can perhaps open whichever one hasn't already been opened, but on the face of it she's not going to be in a position to take control of the existing one (there can only be one registered contact) and it'll simply become accessible to the child directly at 16/18.