How to find old or lost pensions

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If you’ve moved house, changed jobs or ever had more than one pension plan, some of the estimated £31.1 billion currently lying in lost or dormant pension pots could be yours.

It’s easier to misplace a pension pot than you think and it happens a lot. It's estimated that more than 3.3 million pension plans, worth an average of £9,470 (or £13,620 among 55 to 75-year-olds), are currently unclaimed. And that looks set to rise, with the government having predicted that there could be as many as 50 million misplaced pots by 2050.

So, how do all these plans get lost and forgotten? And what can you do about it?

Why are people losing track of pension plans from old jobs?

Well, the good news is that every employer now has to provide most of their workers with a pension plan that both they and their employees pay into. Meaning more than 11 million people have been ‘auto-enrolled’ since 2012.

The bad news is that many employees don’t pay much attention to their workplace pension, or what it’s worth. And then, when they leave or change jobs, many forget all about it. It’s estimated that the average person in the UK will change jobs every five years – which is a lot of pension pots to keep track of.

Studies have found that only one in 25 people would instinctively think to tell their pension provider when they move home, which means contact details are out of date.

How to find a lost pension for free

Think one or possibly more of these lost or dormant pension plans could be yours? We can help you track down your lost pensions for free. Simply tell us a few things about your old pensions – like when they were set up and who you were working for at the time – and we’ll do the hard work for you.

Find your pension plans

If it’s been some time since you took out the pension plan, you could be in for a nice surprise as it’s had the potential to grow in value over the years thanks to potential investment growth and compounding.

Consider bringing all your pension plans together

Once you’ve found your plans, you could consider moving them into your current plan, as this could make it easier to manage them all.

Having all your pensions savings in one place can cut down on admin time, as well as potentially reducing the charges you pay. 

It might not be right for everyone and there’s no guarantee you’ll get more as a result of transferring. Some older pension plans might have valuable benefits or guarantees, so check you won’t lose these if you transfer. For example, if you’re thinking about moving money out of a final salary (also known as a defined benefit) pension plan, or if you’re unsure about your options, you should seek financial advice.

If you don't have a financial adviser, MoneyHelper has information on how to choose one. 

A pension plan is an investment, so its value can go down as well as up and it could be worth less than was paid in.

You can learn more about the pros and cons of combining your pensions in our video. 

Bringing your pensions to Standard Life

Tracking down any old pension plans, combining them if that’s right for you, and keeping a regular eye on where you are with your retirement savings could help give you peace of mind about your financial future.

Why consider bringing your pensions together with Standard Life? 

• We won’t charge you to bring your pensions together
• Easily access your money from age 55 (age 57 from 6 April 2028)
• Start, stop or change your payments at any time
• Manage your money online or on our app

Transfer your pension plans

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The information here is based on our understanding in April 2025 and shouldn’t be taken as financial advice.

A pension is an investment. Its value can go down as well as up and could be worth less than was paid in.

Standard Life accepts no responsibility for information in external websites. These are provided for general information.

Transferring pensions will not be right for everyone. You need to consider all the facts and make sure it's right for you.