Lost Pension? Free Tracing Letter Template (UK)

The average person changes jobs a dozen times, and a pension is left behind at most of them. Billions sit unclaimed in UK schemes simply because nobody wrote to ask.

Two steps get it back: find out who holds it, then write to them with enough detail to be identified. The letter below is step two, and it asks for everything worth knowing in one go.

[Your full name]
[Your current address]

19 August 2026

Dear Sir or Madam,

Re: Tracing a pension — former employee of [employer name]

I am trying to trace a workplace pension I believe I hold from my employment with [employer name], and would be grateful for your help in confirming my membership and its current value.

My details:

Full name: [Your full name]
Date of birth: [date of birth]
National Insurance number: [NI number]
Employer: [employer name]
Dates of employment: [dates worked]
Current address: [current address]

Please confirm:

1. Whether I am recorded as a member of the scheme.
2. The type of scheme (defined benefit or defined contribution).
3. The current value, or the projected benefits at normal retirement age.
4. The scheme's normal retirement age, and my options for taking the benefits.
5. Whether any of my benefits were transferred elsewhere, and if so, to whom and when.

If my records are held under a previous scheme name, administrator or employer, I would be grateful if you would forward this request to whoever now holds them, and let me know that you have done so.

I can provide identification on request.

Yours faithfully,

[Your full name]

Step one: find who holds it

Before writing, use the free Pension Tracing Service on GOV.UK. Give it an employer or scheme name and it returns current contact details — including for schemes that have changed name, merged or been taken over, which is exactly where old pensions get lost.

Two things to know: it gives you contact details, not your pension, so the letter is still needed. And it is free — several commercial services charge for what GOV.UK does for nothing, some taking a percentage of what they find.

What to gather before you write

Schemes match you on data, not on your say-so. Have ready:

• National Insurance number — the single most useful identifier
• Full name at the time, including any maiden or previous name
• Date of birth
• Employer name and dates of employment — approximate months are fine
• The address you lived at then, which is often how old records are matched

Old payslips, P60s or a P45 will confirm most of it. If you cannot find dates, your National Insurance record on GOV.UK shows which years you were employed and by whom.

What to do once they reply

You will usually get a statement of what is held. Then the decision: leave it, or consolidate it.

Leaving a small pot alone is fine and costs nothing to do. Consolidating can simplify things and sometimes cut charges — but tread carefully with defined benefit (final salary) pensions, which carry guarantees that are almost always worth more than they look, and which you generally should not transfer without advice. Our guides to pension transfers and making the most of your pension cover the trade-offs, and the pension calculator shows what a found pot does to your retirement position.

Also worth doing while you are at it: check your State Pension forecast on GOV.UK. It is separate from all of this, takes two minutes, and tells you whether you have gaps worth filling.

Frequently asked questions

How do I find a lost pension from an old job?

Use the free Pension Tracing Service on GOV.UK to get the scheme's current contact details, then write to the administrator with your National Insurance number, dates of employment and former address. The letter above covers what they need.

What information do I need to trace a pension?

Your National Insurance number, name at the time including any previous names, date of birth, the employer's name, roughly when you worked there, and the address you lived at then.

Is there a free pension tracing service?

Yes — the government's Pension Tracing Service on GOV.UK is free. Commercial tracing firms charge for the same search, and some take a cut of what they find.

What if the company I worked for no longer exists?

The pension scheme usually survives the employer. The tracing service follows scheme name changes, mergers and buyouts, and if the employer became insolvent the Pension Protection Fund may hold the benefits.

General information only, not financial or legal advice. Templates are a starting point — check anything with a deadline against your own paperwork before you rely on it.