Quick answer: Old pensions don’t expire. Work out who you worked for and roughly when, search for each employer on the free government Pension Tracing Service, and write to the scheme that holds the records today with your National Insurance number and date of birth. If the company closed, the pension usually passed to an insurer or another scheme rather than disappearing.
Why old pensions go missing
- You moved house and the scheme’s letters went to an old address.
- The employer changed. It merged, was bought, renamed itself or closed.
- The provider changed. Many insurers have merged or been renamed since the 1980s and 1990s.
- You changed your name, so records don’t match at first.
- You left after a short time and assumed there was nothing to keep.
What happens to an old pension when you leave?
When you leave a job, your pension normally stays with the scheme. It is often called a deferred, preserved or “frozen” pension. Nothing more is paid in, but it is still yours. A final salary pension will pay an income from the scheme’s retirement age. A pension pot stays invested until you take it.
If you left a scheme after only a short time, you may have been given a refund of your own contributions, or had the money moved. The scheme can tell you which.
If the company no longer exists
Pension money is held separately from the employer, by trustees or an insurer. When a company closes, its scheme is usually wound up and the benefits are moved to an insurer, or another scheme takes over. If a final salary scheme’s employer failed, the scheme may have moved into the Pension Protection Fund. The Pension Tracing Service keeps records of schemes that have moved or closed, so search for the old company name.
Step by step
- List your old jobs with the dates, even rough ones. Old P60s, payslips and your HMRC online account can help.
- Search the Pension Tracing Service for each employer, and for any pension provider you remember.
- Write to each scheme with your name, any previous names and addresses, date of birth, National Insurance number and dates of employment.
- Ask for a statement of what your pension is worth and when it can be paid.
- Chase anyone who hasn’t replied after a few weeks.
Lost a pension with a provider that has changed its name? See who holds old pensions now. Worked in the NHS, a school or a council? See public sector schemes.
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
Can I still claim a pension from 30 years ago?
Yes. Pensions don’t expire. A pension from an old job is still yours however long ago you left, and the scheme or the provider that took it over will still hold the records.
What is a frozen pension?
It is a pension from a job you have left. Nothing more is paid in, but it is still yours. It is also called a deferred or preserved pension.
How do I find a pension if the company no longer exists?
Search for the old company name on the free government Pension Tracing Service. When a company closes, its pension scheme is usually moved to an insurer or another scheme, and the service keeps records of where.
Are unclaimed pensions lost for good?
No. Unclaimed pensions stay with the scheme or provider until you claim them. The Pensions Policy Institute estimated lost pension pots in the UK at £31.1 billion in 2024.
What if I can’t remember who I worked for?
Your HMRC online account shows recent employment, and HMRC can help with older records. Old P60s, payslips and bank statements can also name past employers.
More on finding lost pensions
- How do I find out what pensions I have?
- Can I find my pension with my National Insurance number?
- How to find a pension from an old job
- Finding a pension with a provider that changed its name
- 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?