Tracing Lost Pensions.

Pensions get lost when people move jobs, particularly when they are young and change occupations, go overseas for periods become non resident for tax purposes etc etc.

It is very easy to forget that the three years you worked in the engineering works after college or university meant they may have three years pension contributions.

Others assume because the firm that they did a year or two with eventually disappeared and went bust means that their pension entitlement went with it. This is often not the case. You may not be able to get all you would have got had the firm stayed in business but you will have some entitlement. In takeovers your entitlement will often have been transferred and depending on the scheme may even be better than your original entitlement.

The fact is you do not know unless you trace your old pension schemes and establish what entitlement you have.

It is important to trace old pensions because a few years extra service can amount to significant amount.

You need to sit down and write a down list of any employer you worked for and the dates as far as you can remember. Get hold of any old paperwork if you still have it and get your National Insurance number. That would normally have stayed the same throughout your working life.

We have several pages with information on tracing lost pensions on the site.