Over longer periods of time (five years or more), investments such as stocks, shares and funds have the potential to give you higher returns compared to cash savings. But the value of investments can fall as well as rise. There is a chance you may get back less than you put in. Ensure you have safety net savings before starting to invest. Eligibility criteria, fees and charges apply.
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Investment guide
How to find old pensions
Lost or forgotten pensions
Whether you’ve worked for multiple employers, been self-employed, or had a mixture of both, it’s common to have several pension pots scattered across different providers – and each one will look and feel different, making it harder to keep track.
Confusion often arises when:
You’ve changed jobs or contracts multiple times.
You’ve moved to a new address.
A provider or past employer has gone out of business, merged, or rebranded.
Once you know where all your pensions are, for some people, bringing them together in one place can be a good idea, although this won’t be right for everyone.
This guide will explore how to locate old pensions, consolidate them, and track them in the future.
Find your pension
Just follow these simple steps:
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1.
Check your old paperwork
- Search your paperwork or email for pension statements, payslips, or any reference numbers
- For an employer pension, contact your former employer. (Tip: Some companies may have merged or changed names, so it’s worth double-checking).
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2.
Use the Government’s Pension Tracing Service
Visit GOV.uk or call 0800 731 0175 (Relay UK: 18001 0800 731 0175).
This free service helps you find contact details for your pension providers.
When you contact the service, you might be asked for your date of birth, previous addresses and dates of employment.
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3.
If your old pension provider has gone out of business
Check if they were FCA-authorised (try the FCA Firm Checker).
You could be eligible for compensation through the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS).
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