Pension Tracing Service: how to find contact details for a lost pension
Published · 3 min read · Figures checked . UK rules and rates change, so check the official sources below before you act.
Many people change jobs and lose track of an old workplace or personal pension. This guide explains what the free government Pension Tracing Service does, what it cannot do, and how to use it.
Who this guide is for
This guide is general information for anyone in the UK who thinks they may have an old workplace or personal pension but no longer has the provider's details. It is not advice for your own situation. It does not cover the State Pension itself, apart from a short note below.
What the service does
The Pension Tracing Service is run by the Department for Work and Pensions. GOV.UK says it helps you find contact details for your own workplace or personal pension scheme, or for someone else's scheme if you have their permission.
It is a way to find who to contact, nothing more. GOV.UK says it will not tell you whether you have a pension, or what the pension is worth. You then need to contact the scheme or provider yourself to ask about your membership and any value.
What you need to start
GOV.UK says you need the name of an employer or a pension provider. The service works from names, so it helps to build a list before you search.
- Write down every employer you have worked for, including short jobs.
- Note any personal pension you may have set up yourself.
- Look through old paperwork, annual statements and emails for scheme or insurer names.
- Remember that companies can merge, close or change their names, so the name on an old letter may not match today's name.
Ways to contact the service
- Online: the search starts on the GOV.UK pension contact finder. A Welsh-language version is available.
- Phone: 0800 731 0175. GOV.UK's call charges page lists 0800 numbers as free from landlines and mobiles, though it says its costs are approximate.
- Post: The Pension Service, Post Handling Site A, Wolverhampton, WV98 1AF.
- British Sign Language: a video relay service is available on a computer.
What happens next
If the search finds a match, you get contact details. You can then write or call to ask whether you have a pension there, and what you would need to provide to prove who you are. If nothing is found, one option is to look for other clues, such as an old payslip, a P60 or a letter naming an insurer, and search again under that name. Former colleagues who were in the same scheme may also remember its name.
A note on the State Pension
The Pension Tracing Service is separate from the State Pension. GOV.UK has a different service for checking your State Pension forecast. It shows how much you could get, when you could get it, and whether you can increase it, for example by paying to fill gaps. You can use it online, through the HMRC app, by post with form BR19, or by phone through the Future Pension Centre. The post and phone routes apply if you are more than 30 days from State Pension age. It is not available if you already receive your State Pension or have deferred claiming it. GOV.UK warns that a forecast is not fixed and can change, for example if State Pension age changes.
Check before you act
Phone numbers, opening hours and rules can change. It is worth confirming everything on the official pages linked below before you rely on it. Free guidance on pensions is also available from MoneyHelper, the government-backed service.
Sources
For information only. See our disclaimer and editorial standards. Spotted an error? Tell us.
