Quick answer: Search for the employer on the free government Pension Tracing Service to get the contact details for its pension scheme, then write to the scheme with your National Insurance number, date of birth and the dates you worked there. Public sector schemes, such as the NHS, teachers, councils and the armed forces, each have their own pension administrator.
Private sector employers
If you worked for a company, your pension will usually be in one of two places:
- The company’s own pension scheme, often a final salary scheme for older jobs, run by trustees with an administrator who handles the paperwork.
- A pension provider the employer chose, such as an insurer or a scheme like Nest, especially for jobs since automatic enrolment began in 2012.
Payslips, P60s and old letters often name the scheme. If not, the Pension Tracing Service is the place to start.
What if the company no longer exists?
The pension doesn’t disappear when an employer closes or is taken over. Money in a pension pot is held separately from the business, normally by an insurer or the scheme’s trustees. Final salary schemes whose employer has failed may have moved to the Pension Protection Fund. The Pension Tracing Service keeps records of schemes that have moved or been wound up.
Public sector pension schemes
| If you worked for | Where to look |
|---|---|
| The NHS in England or Wales | The NHS Pension Scheme, run by the NHS Business Services Authority |
| The NHS in Scotland, or teachers in Scotland | The Scottish Public Pensions Agency |
| Health and social care in Northern Ireland | The HSC Pension Service |
| A school in England or Wales as a teacher | The Teachers’ Pension Scheme |
| A council, or as support staff in a school | The Local Government Pension Scheme. Each area has its own fund, usually linked to the county or city you worked in |
| The civil service | The Civil Service Pension Scheme |
| The armed forces | The Armed Forces Pension Scheme, run by Veterans UK |
| The police or fire service | Your force’s or service’s own pension administrator |
Public sector pensions are usually final salary or career average pensions, so even a few years’ service can be worth having.
What to send when you write to an old scheme
- Your full name and any previous names
- Your date of birth and National Insurance number
- Your address now and the one you had when you worked there
- The employer’s name, where you worked and roughly when
- Any payroll, staff or membership number you still have
Can’t remember every employer?
Your HMRC online account shows recent employers, and HMRC can help with older records. Our step-by-step guide covers how to build a full list.
If you would rather someone did it for you
Tracing pensions yourself costs nothing but time. If you don’t have the time, or the letters and ID checks are putting you off, tell us what you remember and we’ll put you in touch with the right service:
- Pension Pie, our sister company, traces pensions of any size for one fixed fee of £249 including VAT. It never takes a percentage of what it finds and never moves your money.
- An FCA-authorised adviser may trace your pensions as part of an advice service, typically where they total £75,000 or more. The adviser explains any fees before you go ahead.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find a pension from a previous employer?
Search for the employer on the free government Pension Tracing Service to get its pension scheme’s contact details, then write to the scheme with your National Insurance number, date of birth and the dates you worked there.
What happens to my pension if my old employer went bust?
The money in a pension pot is held separately from the business, so it is still there. Final salary schemes of employers that failed may have moved to the Pension Protection Fund, which pays compensation to members.
How do I find my NHS pension?
In England and Wales, the NHS Pension Scheme is run by the NHS Business Services Authority. In Scotland it is the Scottish Public Pensions Agency, and in Northern Ireland the HSC Pension Service.
I worked for a council years ago. Do I have a pension?
Quite possibly. Council staff, and support staff in schools, are usually in the Local Government Pension Scheme, run by a local fund for the area you worked in. Contact that fund with your details.
Is a pension from a short job worth finding?
Often, yes. Older workplace schemes and public sector schemes can pay a guaranteed income for life even from a few years’ service, and small pots can grow over decades.
More on finding lost pensions
- How do I find out what pensions I have?
- Can I find my pension with my National Insurance number?
- Finding a pension with a provider that changed its name
- Finding a pension from years ago
- How to check your pensions online
- Pensions dashboards: when can I see all my pensions?
- SERPS: how to check and find yours
- The government Pension Tracing Service or paid tracing?
- What could an old pension be worth?