Consolidate or manage pensions?

kalamu

I am 39 I i have several small pension pots from several different jobs floating about - some I will probably need to dig around to find.
I'm totally new to looking at Pensions and savings, it has always just been something I got with whatever job I had. I am now self-employed and have no current pension.
Do I consolidate my old pensions and continue to pay into one pot, or do I just manage the many little bits I have and start a new one?
Whatever choice is best, how do I go about it and how do I find ones that I may have lost contact with due to moving home and failing to change my address?
Thanks in advance from a complete newbie x

xylophone

https://www.gov.uk/find-pension-contact-details

I am now self-employed and have no current pension.

Sole Trader? Or employed by your own limited company?

Have you checked your state pension position?

https://www.gov.uk/check-state-pension

dunstonh

Do I consolidate my old pensions and continue to pay into one pot, or do I just manage the many little bits I have and start a new one?

Insufficient info to go on.

Your options are to keep as is, consolidate with best one (if possible) or use a modern plan and possibly consolidate with that.

To know what is best, you would need to analyse what you have and the alternatives available.

Albermarle

A first initial course of action would be to try and contact your past employers . If they are still operating they should be able to help you . If they are bust or have been through a lot of changes ( takeovers, mergers etc ) you will have to go through the link already suggested.
It would make sense to consolidate a lot of small pensions into just one or two . Simpler admin and bigger pots can mean lower charges.
However as Dunston says it is not a simple choice and once you find all the details of the existing pensions then you will have to do some research.