How to find a lost pension in the UK

Why pensions get lost

Since automatic enrolment began, most employees have been put into a workplace pension each time they start a new job. Over a working life, that can mean several small pots in different places. Add a move or two, a change of name or a scheme that has merged or been taken over, and it is easy for the paperwork to stop reaching you.

A lost pension is not usually gone. The money is still invested in your name; the scheme has simply lost touch with you, or you with it. Finding it is worth the effort, especially if you are planning to dial down. Every pot you find is part of the picture of how and when you can afford to work less.

Before you start

Spend half an hour gathering what you can. The more detail you have, the quicker the search.

• A list of employers you have worked for, with rough dates. Include short contracts and part-time roles.
• Any personal pensions you opened yourself, including older stakeholder or retirement annuity plans.
• Old paperwork: annual statements, welcome packs, payslips showing pension deductions, P60s and letters.
• Policy or member numbers, and your National Insurance number.
• Past addresses, since schemes may hold an old one.

Your HMRC personal tax account or the HMRC app can show your recent employment history, which can jog your memory about employers you’d forgotten.

Step by step

1. List every job. Write down each employer you have worked for, with rough dates, and any personal pensions you remember opening.
2. Gather paperwork. Look for old pension statements, payslips, P60s, welcome packs and letters, and note any policy or member numbers.
3. Contact the scheme or employer. If you know the scheme or provider, contact them directly. If not, ask the former employer which scheme they used.
4. Use the Pension Tracing Service. If you cannot find contact details, use the free government Pension Tracing Service online or by phone.
5. Ask the right questions. Confirm what you hold, its value, any guarantees, charges and when you can take it, and update your address.
6. Keep a record. Keep all your pension details in one place and tell each provider whenever you move house.

Using the Pension Tracing Service

The Pension Tracing Service is a free government service on GOV.UK. It searches for the current contact details of a workplace or personal pension scheme, even if the scheme has changed its name or been taken over. You can also search for someone else’s scheme if you have their permission.

You need the name of an employer or a pension provider to use it. You can search online, by phone on 0800 731 0175 (Monday to Friday, 10am to 3pm), or by post.

It is important to know what it does not do. It will not tell you whether you have a pension, or what it is worth. It gives you contact details, and you then get in touch with the scheme yourself.

What to ask when you find it

When you contact the scheme, have your National Insurance number and any old details to hand. It is worth asking:

• Do I have a pension with you, and what type is it?
• What is it worth now, or what income is it expected to pay?
• What charges apply?
• Are there any guarantees, such as a guaranteed annuity rate or protected tax-free cash?
• From what age can I take it, and what options will I have?
• Who is named to receive it if I die?

Then update your address and contact details, and ask to go paperless if you’d find that easier to keep track of. The retirement glossary explains any jargon you come across.

The pensions dashboard

Finding pensions should get easier. Pensions dashboards will let you see all your pensions in one place online, including your State Pension. Schemes have been connecting to the system in stages, with a final connection deadline of 31 October 2026. The free MoneyHelper dashboard is expected to open to the public during the 2027/28 financial year.

Until then, the steps above are the way to do it. And tracing a pension now means you will know what to expect when the dashboard arrives.

What to do next

Once you have found your pensions, put them all in one list with the provider, type, value and contact details. That single list makes planning much easier.

Some people then choose to combine smaller pots, which can make them simpler to manage. It is not always the right move. Older pensions can carry valuable guarantees or benefits that would be lost on transfer, and some have exit charges. If you have defined benefit (final salary) pension rights worth more than £30,000, you must take regulated financial advice before transferring them.

Don’t forget your State Pension. Check your State Pension forecast and look for any National Insurance gaps. Then the pension age checker and the how much do I need calculator can help you see what your pensions might add up to. Pension Wise offers free, impartial guidance appointments for people aged 50 or over with a defined contribution pension.

Avoiding scams

Pension scams often start with an offer to find, review or unlock your pension. Some simple rules help:

• Tracing a pension is free. You don’t need to pay anyone to do it.
• Be wary of anyone who contacts you out of the blue about your pension, by phone, text, email or social media.
• Be suspicious of promises of high or guaranteed returns, or offers to release money before age 55.
• Don’t be rushed. Check any firm on the FCA Register, and visit the FCA’s ScamSmart site if you are unsure.

Questions people ask