If you’ve lost touch with a pension provider, they won’t know how to pay you when you retire. Here’s how to trace all your pensions so you don’t miss out on vital retirement income.

Step 1: List all the places you’ve worked

Start by listing all the employers you’ve had. Even if you weren’t there long, it’s still worth checking if you’re entitled to anything. If you set up your own pension scheme, like a personal pension, add that too.

Only cross an employer off your list if you’re certain you:

• didn’t have a pension set up there, or
• have already received a refund of your pension money.

You might have had your pension contributions refunded if you left your employer:

• before April 1975
• between April 1975 and April 1988 if you:
  • worked there less than five years, or
  • were under 26 when you left
• since April 1988, having worked there less than two years.

Step 2: Find your pension provider’s name

You need to know the name of your pension provider(s) before you can find their contact details. Here are ways to do it.

• Check old paperwork for details of your pension scheme, including the provider or administrator. Most pension schemes will send you a statement every year.

• Contact your previous employers or ask old colleagues for the pension provider’s name.

• If your old employer has gone bust, see if it appears on the Pension Protection Fund’s list of schemes they look after – this means it’s been transferred to them to run instead. 

• Use Gretel, a free service to trace lost pensions, accounts and investments. 

Step 3: Use the Pension Tracing Service

Once you have a list of all your pension providers, the next step is to contact each one.

The Pension Tracing Service lets you Find pension contact details on GOV.UK or you can contact them by phone or post.

If you’re struggling to find their contact details, see if your pension provider is listed on the Association of British Insurers’ keep track of your pension page This will show you who to contact if your pension provider has a new name, has been taken over or merged.

Step 4: Contact the pension provider to trace your pension

Your pension provider will need as much information as possible in order to match you to a pension. They might ask for:

• your National Insurance Number

• previous names and addresses

• the dates you worked for the company

• when you think the pension was set up.

If the pension provider finds a record for you, check they have your correct contact details. This means they can send you annual statements and other important information, like whether you’re paying any fees.

For more information on what to do with any pension you’ve found, including the pros and cons of bringing your pensions together, see our guide How to increase your pension savings.